Meanwhile, the Scottish Government announced in June 2025 that it is moving ahead, following its own consultation. It intends to introduce a new Bill later this year to regulate higher risk procedures and introduce regulations to licence lower risk categories.⁶

The Scottish Government aims to implement a minimum age of 18 for all procedures and to assign procedures to one of three tiers based on risk:⁶

·     - group 1 procedures, such as microneedling and non-ablative laser treatments, will require both a premises licence and individual practitioner licences issued by local authorities;

·     - group 2 procedures, including injectables like botulinum toxin (Botox) and dermal fillers, will have to be supervised by a qualified health care professional in a setting regulated by Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS);

·     - group 3 procedures, such as breast and buttock augmentation, will have to be performed by a qualified healthcare professional in an HIS-regulated setting.

The DHSC has indicated it is likely to follow a similar process, with a traffic-light system:¹

·     - green – all practitioners can perform licensed procedures where they meet agreed standards;

·     - amber – non-healthcare professionals would have to be licensed and have relevant oversight by a named regulated healthcare professional who has gained a relevant accredited qualification;

·     - red – procedures, practitioners and premises would need to be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC), and therefore not be part of the licensing scheme.