Plain-English explanations of the technical terms and legislation used in this document.
- Adverse event
- Any unexpected or unwanted occurrence linked to a treatment, product or device that harms, or could harm, a patient.
- Anaphylaxis
- A severe, life-threatening allergic reaction needing immediate emergency treatment.
- Apology
- A sincere expression of sorrow or regret for harm or distress caused; in law it is not an admission of legal liability.
- Botulinum toxin
- A prescription-only injectable used to relax muscles and soften lines, commonly known by brand names such as Botox.
- Care Quality Commission (CQC)
- The independent regulator of health and social care services in England.
- Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009
- The rules setting out which incidents, such as a death or serious injury, a registered provider must formally notify to the regulator.
- Chemical peel
- A treatment that applies a chemical solution to the skin to remove damaged outer layers and improve its appearance.
- Collagen induction therapy
- A treatment, often using fine needles, that prompts the skin to make more collagen to improve its texture; also called microneedling.
- Compensation Act 2006
- The law which confirms, among other things, that saying sorry does not by itself count as admitting legal fault.
- Contemporaneous record
- A note made at the time an event happens, or as soon as possible afterwards, so it is accurate and reliable.
- Data Protection Act 2018
- The UK law that sets the rules for handling people's personal information, working alongside the UK GDPR.
- Dermal filler
- An injectable gel, often hyaluronic acid, used to add volume to or smooth the skin.
- Duty of candour
- The legal and professional duty to be open and honest with a person and their family when something goes wrong with their care.
- Fitness to practise
- Whether a registered professional has the skills, knowledge, character and health to do their job safely and lawfully.
- General Dental Council (GDC)
- The body that registers and regulates dental professionals in the United Kingdom.
- General Medical Council (GMC)
- The body that registers and regulates doctors in the United Kingdom.
- General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
- The body that registers and regulates pharmacists and pharmacy premises in Great Britain.
- Harm
- Physical or psychological injury to a patient; its severity decides whether the statutory duty of candour applies.
- Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014
- The regulations setting out the fundamental standards providers must meet, including the duty of candour in Regulation 20.
- High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU)
- A device that uses focused sound waves to heat deeper layers of skin to tighten or lift it.
- Hyaluronidase
- An enzyme injected to dissolve hyaluronic acid dermal filler, used urgently to treat some filler complications.
- Information governance
- The framework for handling people's personal and health information legally, securely and appropriately.
- Informed consent
- Agreement to treatment given freely after the risks, benefits and alternatives have been clearly explained.
- Intense pulsed light (IPL)
- A device that uses broad-spectrum light to treat skin concerns such as pigmentation, redness or unwanted hair.
- Intravenous (IV) therapy
- Giving fluids, vitamins or medicines directly into a vein through a drip or injection.
- Just culture
- A workplace culture that supports honest reporting of mistakes and focuses on learning rather than blame.
- Local anaesthetic
- A medicine that numbs a small area of the body so a procedure can be carried out without pain.
- Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)
- The UK body that regulates medicines and medical devices and oversees their safety.
- Microneedling
- A treatment that uses very fine needles to create tiny channels in the skin to encourage repair and renewal.
- Near miss
- An event that could have caused harm but did not, by chance or because it was caught in time.
- Necrosis
- The death of body tissue, for example skin, which can follow a blocked blood vessel after a filler injection.
- Nominated Individual
- The senior person responsible to the regulator for supervising how a service is provided.
- Notifiable safety incident
- An unintended or unexpected incident during care that, in a health professional's reasonable opinion, has caused or could cause death or significant harm, triggering the statutory duty of candour.
- Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
- The body that registers and regulates nurses and midwives in the United Kingdom.
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP)
- A treatment using a concentrated part of the patient's own blood, injected to encourage healing or skin rejuvenation.
- Polynucleotides
- Injectable substances derived from purified DNA fragments, used to improve skin quality and repair.
- Prescriber
- A healthcare professional legally authorised to decide on and order prescription medicines for patients.
- Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003 (PECR)
- The rules governing electronic marketing and communications, such as emails, texts and calls, alongside data-protection law.
- Prolonged psychological harm
- Psychological harm a patient has experienced, or is likely to experience, for a continuous period of at least 28 days.
- Radiofrequency
- A device that uses radio-wave energy to heat the skin's deeper layers to tighten and firm it.
- Registered Manager
- The person registered with the regulator as responsible for the day-to-day running of a service.
- Registered person
- The provider or individual legally registered with the regulator and accountable for meeting its standards.
- Registrant
- A professional who is entered on the register of a regulatory body and bound by its standards.
- Regulated activity
- A type of care or treatment the law requires a provider to register with the regulator to deliver.
- Relevant person
- The patient, or where they have died, lack capacity or are a child not competent to decide, someone lawfully acting on their behalf.
- Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR)
- The law requiring certain workplace injuries, diseases and dangerous events to be reported to the Health and Safety Executive.
- Safeguarding
- Protecting people's health, wellbeing and rights and keeping them safe from abuse, harm or neglect.
- Second victim
- A member of staff who is themselves traumatised or distressed after being involved in a patient safety incident.
- Severe harm
- A permanent reduction in a patient's bodily, sensory, motor or intellectual function caused by an incident.
- Single assessment framework
- The structure the regulator uses to judge a service, built around quality statements and five key questions (safe, effective, caring, responsive, well-led).
- Skin booster
- An injectable treatment that hydrates and improves the quality of the skin rather than adding volume.
- Statement of Purpose
- A required document describing who a service is, what it does and where, shared with the regulator.
- Statutory duty
- A duty that is required by an Act of Parliament or its regulations, rather than being merely good practice.
- Thread lift
- A procedure that inserts dissolvable threads under the skin to lift and support sagging tissue.
- UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)
- The UK's main data-protection law governing how personal information is collected and used.
- Vascular occlusion
- A blockage of a blood vessel, a serious filler complication that can cause tissue death or, rarely, blindness if untreated.
- Whistleblowing (speaking up)
- Raising a concern about wrongdoing, risk or malpractice at work, protected by law.
- Yellow Card scheme
- The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency's system for reporting suspected problems with medicines or medical devices.