The cooling off period in medical aesthetics-a 'zero pressure' approach

Do you worry that you’ll come in for a consultation and you’ll feel pressured to go ahead with treatment on the spot?

I get this because I absolutely hate being pressured in a ‘sales’ situation. Say, you’ve made an enquiry about a product, you get a response and there’s a close follow up to close a sale. It can be awkward. It can put you off making the enquiry in the first place.

But did you know that aesthetics practitioners should offer you a cooling off period following the consultation, or consultation stage of the appointment? Fine if you don’t need it and want to go ahead with treatment straight away, but you should be given the opportunity to walk away and consider your options.

The Joint Council For Cosmetic Practitioners is an organisation working closely with government and national bodies seeking greater regulation on non-surgical aesthetic treatments and hair restoration surgery in the UK.

With respect to a cooling off period they advise the following:

‘25. You must give the patient the time and information they need to reach a voluntary and informed decision about whether to go ahead with an intervention.

26. The amount of time patients need for reflection and the amount and type of information they will need depend on several factors’

The GMC produced guidance for doctors who provide cosmetic interventions following the Keogh review into the regulation of cosmetic interventions, commissioned in response to the PIP breast implant scandal. They advise a cooling off period should be offered during the consent process, but again do not specify a length of time. This advice applies to aesthetic non-surgical procedures and is supported by the Royal College of Surgeons, the JCCP and Cosmetic Practice Standards Authority and Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Valid consent is legally required for aesthetic treatments, and for consent to be valid it is necessary that the patient should be given time to reflect on the large volumes of information often given during the consultation process, to fully consider the implications of the treatment, associated risks, their choice of practitioner, and to consider their expectations.

Let me tell you about a recent buying experience I’ve had. And it was terrific.

Completely different industry to healthcare- I was after a used car. I went to a local dealer with a great reputation.

There was a lovely warm welcome, and I was given time to have a look on my own at the car. He gave me the run down on it, listened to what I was after, filled in my knowledge gaps.

But then, here’s the thing... There was no hard sell. He gave me the information to empower me to make my own decision without any pressure whatsoever. He completely backed off once I had the information. Until, a few days later, I contacted him. Such a different experience to buying my last car.

And when I made the decision to buy it was within MY time frame, and I knew it was the right decision for me.

Now, it’s different in healthcare because we are bound by moral and ethical codes of conduct and standards. But this is what I hope my patients feel when they make the decision to go ahead with treatment. No pressure, no sales, my focus is on giving my patients the information to empower them to make decisions about their treatment. I’m a medical practitioner, not a saleswoman.

I’ll never ‘sell’ treatment. I’m honest about what you might benefit from, and the risks involved, but it’s always up to you whether to go ahead.

You will always have 3 options:

1. You can go ahead

2. You can go away and think about it, then get back in touch when you’re ready

3. You can walk away and never come back if it’s not for you.

I hope you find this reassuring!