It was inevitable: an undercover reporter attending a training course based in London to expose the “illegal and unethical” side of Botox administration.  The nurse secretly filmed Dr Harrison undertaking Botox training to a group of other nurses and revealed, what Sally Taber described as “wrong and unacceptable” practice.

This case highlighted the GMC’s need to clamp down on how doctors prescribe Botox, now mirroring the guidance by the NMC and GDC.  In short it means that before a doctor prescribes Botox or any other cosmetic medicine they need to physically see the patient, this cannot be done via Skype or 3G telephone calls.  So what does this mean for medical professionals who administer Botox?

Doctors – are now unable to prescribe Botox remotely, even for their own patients.  To be able to inject patients the first time they see them is now impossible unless they order wholesale Botox from Allergan direct, as the prescription will then be written from the wholesale stock.  If a pharmacy has dispensed the product against a prescription this is NOT wholesale and can legally only be used on the patient for whom it has been dispensed.  If they prescribe for nurses they need to undertake a face-to-face consultation before they write the prescription.

Dentists – the GDC stated last year that their registrants should not remote-prescribe Botox.  They should follow the same recommendations for how doctors prescribe as dentists can also purchase wholesale Botox.

Nurses –  can only administer botox once a face-to-face consultation has taken place.  Their prescriber can be either a doctor, dentist or independent nurse prescriber (who has completed a Botox training course).  Nurses cannot hold stock of toxins and they can only receive wholesale Botox if they are employed by or employ a doctor in their Botox practice/business.  If the nurse is not in the same physical legal entity as the doctor he/she cannot obtain such stock.    All nurses must ensure their patient has a face-to-face consultation with the prescriber and once they receive the product they can administer it as per the direction to administer.  Botox is like any other POM and needs to be prescribed before it is administered.

Paramedics – the HPC has not as yet stipulated any guidance for paramedics who inject Botox, however, they will have to in future ensure their patients have a face-to-face consultation as their prescriber can no longer issue a prescription for Botox remotely.

How does this change Botox training courses?  With reference to how we work at Cosmetica Training, it doesn’t really change a thing.  We have, since the NMC clarified their guidance, ensured we advise all doctors who work with nurses to comply with their regulations as we have with GDC registrants.  Whilst previously, it has been acceptable for doctors to remotely prescribe Botox, this has not been advisable when prescribing for nurses and this is our advice for their own clients.  Our guidance to doctors now will mirror the stance for nurses and dentists.

What does this mean for Botox administration?    Patients may have an initial delay in receiving treatment, however, nurses are still able to administer Botox, nurse prescribers, doctors and dentists can continue to prescribe and administer Botox as long as the prescription is not written remotely.

The news report below shows undercover footage from the BBC.

Learning for nurses has always followed a traditional route of learning the theory first, seeing the procedure performed, undertaking said procedure under supervision, being signed off as competent and receiving a certificate. It is then up to the nurse to make sure he/she maintains their competence to perform that procedure according to NMC standards.

How Botox Training for Nurses Work

In reviewing our courses we have written a modular based course specifically for nurses to study aesthetics and issues surrounding this industry.  The Aesthetics Diploma allows underpinning knowledge to be gained within mental health, dermatology, sales, marketing, internet marketing, influencing skills, communication skills as well as studying Botox courses and modules in dermal fillers, chemical peels, local nerve infiltration and dermaroller to make up the core subjects of the Diploma.

By extending the learning programme for nurses, it will ensure that the RCN competencies for aesthetic nurses are met and maintained and that all nurses who train with Cosmetica will have enhanced knowledge of the aesthetics industry that is normally gained through years of experience.

Support packages are also available to offer continued support and advice as necessary as well as offering advanced Botox training courses, advanced dermal filler courses and advanced chemical peel courses.

Book a Botox Training

Cosmetica pride themselves as being a market leader in offering courses that really do meet the delegates training needs at a competitive cost. To find out more about our Aesthetic Diploma call 0845 467 7732 or complete our Contact page and a member of the Cosmetica team will be happy to help.

Keep up with the latest Cosmetica News here.

The latest online development of the Cosmetica website is our new Members’ Area.  The Members’ Area provides additional theoretical content in the form of video demonstrations for delegates who have booked to train with us in botox and dermal fillers as well as access to our online store and our pioneering UK wide consultation service.  This enables all non-prescribing nurses to practice within the NMC’s guidelines pertaining to the administration of all botulinum toxin type A products.

If you are medical professional who is looking to gain additional skills and expand your practice, then a cosmetic or Botox training course may be the perfect solution.

It is no secret that we live in a society where women and men alike want to age gracefully and sustain a youthful appearance. In 2011 alone it was estimated that Britons spend an estimated £2.3 billion a year on cosmetic treatments such as chemical peels, Botox and laser treatments to give a younger appearance. (Source: Guardian)

As a result of this, an demand has begun for medical professionals who provide cosmetic services.

However with any new business venture, especially when involving a medical practice, there are processes and many questions that need to be answered.

What is Botox?

Botox is the common brand name used for Botulinum Toxin Type A: a medicine used to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and can also be used to treat certain medical impairments such as excessive sweating and even motor neuron syndrome.

Doctors, Dentists and Nurses make for great candidates for Botox training for a number of reasons – primarily because of patient safety. Firstly, Botox is a prescription-only treatment. And secondly, the NHS recommends that the person prescribing the medicine knows your full medical history. For someone already in the medical field, medical professionals will have a better understanding as to who is most compatible for the treatment as well as having the knowledge to deal with unforeseen situations that may arise when an accident or emergency occurs.

Botox is generally considered a safe procedure, but this perception could easily be reversed as soon as non-medical professionals become available to administer the treatment.

Botox & Cosmetic Training Course Candidates

Cosmetica Training specialise in cosmetic training courses for medical professionals only. It is not uncommon for members of the beauty community to offer cosmetic treatments such as Botox. However the real issue here is that Botox is not currently licensed for cosmetic use and any doctor that prescribes it for lifestyle choices are entirely responsible for any adverse effects.

The danger with training beauty therapists, hairdressers, and even tattoo artists with Botox is that they are not medically trained. Just because Botox is commonly used for reducing wrinkles, it does not mean that receiving it is as simple or invasive-free as having your eyebrows waxed.

Doctors

As already touched one of a number of medically qualified professionals who are ‘Independent prescribers’ in the eyes of our health system, meaning they don’t need any other authority to sign off their decisions. As Botox is prescription only, it make sense that the prescriber also becomes the distributor, cutting out any middle men in the process and raising the standard of safety in this area.

Nurses

Nurses can also become an ‘Independent prescriber’. As doctors are often swamped in a GP clinic, nurses may have more scope for other non-emergency procedures, such as Botox. Most nurse consultants will hold the status of ‘Independent & Supplementary prescriber’ meaning prescriptions can be made without the pre-approval of a doctor. Access to a doctor for many nurses who are not prescribers, is far easier than someone otherwise not in the medical field.

Dentists

Currently, dentists are considered ‘Independent prescribers’ where the condition affects your teeth. However, due to their experience and background in anaesthesia as well as general medical training, they would make for great candidates for training.

Contact Cosmetica Training

If you are a medical professional looking to book a Botox or aesthetic training course, simply call us on 0845 467 7732 or complete our contact us form and a member of the Cosmetica Team will get back to you.

Alternatively, if you require further information on cosmetic and botox courses and dates, please visit our Cosmetica Courses page.

Hello, I’m Corina and I am the new admin addition and will be introducing myself.

I first had a group interview which I was so nervous about as it was the first interview I’ve ever had so I didn’t know what to expect apart from the regular things you read on interviews  over the internet so I was relieved to hear that Tracy wasn’t looking for the “ideal candidate” (so all my carefully planned speeches went out the window!).

The group of 12 or so applicants (including myself) was given a presentation on the company and we were given some exams to do that tested the skills of literacy and mathematics.

Next was the fun part, we were separated in to two groups to create a paper animal within a time limit, firstly. my group made a small cat until there was only 5 mins left on the clock and one of our team mates spotted we needed a 25cm one and with much panicking and discussion that we could fit into 5 mins we mustered up a taller model, Jerry the Giraffe.

I was called back for another interview which I was completely excited/nervous about getting.

I was interviewed by Tracy, Neil and Gareth . Well, the interview went very well and I’m sitting in the office right now writing this blog for our lovely readers.

We are pleased to tell our customers that all Cosmetica training courses and treatments can now be paid for via Direct Debit. This means that you can book a training course with us, pay a deposit and then spread the cost of training over three, six or nine months – whichever is most convenient for you. Apart from a small (£5) set-up fee – THERE IS NO ADDITIONAL CHARGE FOR THIS SERVICE.

Our Botox courses and other cosmetic training courses are already the best value available and this new facility makes payment even easier.

Our models are also able to spread the cost of treatments: just select a treatment plan – pick two, three or four treatments of your choice per year – then spread the cost over monthly payments to make it easier on your pocket. Direct debit customers are GUARANTEED an appointment.We offer the best value anywhere for cosmetic treatments and our new direct debit service makes our prices unbeatable.

For further information on direct debit for all Cosmetic courses and treatments please click the link on this page or contact us via phone or email.

Planning is well advanced for our first ever Gala Open Day event next weekend on December 3rd. The event is designed to help recent delegates on our Botox courses or other cosmetic training courses. The event will include presentations to help you grow and develop your business in the Aesthetic industry and will include discussion of topics such as:

 Creating a Business Plan
 Extending your expertise
 Increasing your profits
 Prescribing – the legal context
 New products and procedures
 Future developments in the industry
 Making the most of your website
 High impact internet marketing

As well as recent delegates, anyone planning to attend any of our cosmetic courses in the near future will also find it useful.

This is also going to be a social occasion with wine and refreshments plus opportunities to network with colleagues. This is a FREE event – so if you haven’t confirmed your attendance yet please get in touch straight away to secure your place.

Cosmetica Training’s ethos is to ensure all of our delegates receive the most practical experience possible when they attend any of our injection training courses.  On 19th and 20th November we ran a botox training course and a dermal filler training course, our delegates spent the whole day injecting our 25 models that attended each day.

We received outstanding feedback on the quality of our course as well as the amount of models that the delegates got to inject.  We ensure that each model is injected by all delegates in the group and we only have 4 delegates per treatment couch. The feedback can be found on our testimonials page and individual comments consisted of

Very enjoyable day. Initially I did not think that I would gain all that information in one day. I came away quite knowledgeable. Practical experience was excellent. Was unaware that I would be injecting that number of clients. Tutors very supportive. Great day thanks

As we issue a certificate of competence we do not feel it is acceptable to allow delegates to inject just 1 or 2 models as we want everyone who successfully completes the course to be fully skilled and able to inject clients competently when they are building up their business.

To enquire about our courses please contact us on 0151 722 6070.

Hi. This is my first blog for Cosmetica Training so please allow me to introduce myself.

My name is Gareth Williams and I have just started working for Tracy and Neil at Cosmetica as a Business Development Co-ordinator. I have been friends with Tracy and Neil for a long time and I have many years’ experience of managing a training and consultancy company in the University sector. When the opportunity came along, I was delighted to join Tracy and Neil at Cosmetica. Cosmetica is already the premier provider of cosmetic training courses in the North West. We plan to be No 1 nationwide.

I am new to the cosmetic training industry and I have a lot to learn about Botox training and the other services we offer. These are very exciting times for me and for everyone at Cosmetica and I look forward to getting to know all our customers. We have great ideas for the future so WATCH THIS SPACE

If you have developed and implemented the strategies suggested so far, you should have a number of clients stored on your database and will have successfully treated them.  Have you any thoughts on what to do from here?  Would you wait for them to contact you for another treatment or are you going to keep in contact with them?

If you wish to retain them as clients why not keep in contact with them, offer them further appointments and keep them updated with any new treatments that you offer?  Your clients know  you and the results you achieve so far, so it should be easy to sell them further services.  If you keep in contact with them and they do not get back in touch should you assume that you have lost them as a customer?  If so, what do you envisage your next steps should be?

The best thing you can do in this instance is write to them personally, thanking them for their custom and apologise for any action you have done which may have lost them as a customer following your training in cosmetic courses.  You can always add an incentive for them to return to you, maybe enclose a discount voucher that can be redeemed off their next treatment or something else that is seen as valuable. There is no real reason to lose clients forever, but you must develop a strategy to regain any temporary loss of clients that you experience.