The importance of prescribing

The BACN have worked hard over many years, using evidence and reasoning to argue that the delivery of invasive aesthetic treatments should only be performed by a qualified healthcare professional, such as a nurse or doctor. Unfortunately, for too long, medical aesthetics has been glamourised within the media, and there has been a lack of understanding of the speciality from the government.

Due to the ever-changing rotation of ministers, they fail to consider what is truly required to deliver a safe and effective treatment, clinical management of the patient, and how they are cared for if they return with side effects or adverse events. The skills of a registered nurse are beyond the needle in the skin, and our wider depth of knowledge is essential for patient wellbeing and safety. This comes from the minimum of 3 years training as a nurse, on wards and at the sharp end of clinical practice. Our training and subsequent working as qualified nurses in a hospital setting has enabled us to consult, assess, diagnose, review medications, consent, carry out complex procedures in complex scenarios, give patient care physically and psychologically, become independent non-medical prescribers, and become advanced nurse practitioners.