Guide
Private clinic and cosmetic CQC compliance: policies, procedures and guidance
Independent and cosmetic clinics carry out regulated activities that put a sharp focus on consent, safety and outcomes. This guide gathers the policies, procedure checklists, regulations and articles a clinic has to get right, in one place.
What CQC weighs in a private or cosmetic clinic
Independent and cosmetic clinics are inspected under the same five key questions as every CQC-registered service, but the regulated activities here, from minor surgery and local anaesthetic to cosmetic procedures, raise the bar on consent, safety and the evidence behind outcomes.
The weight falls on cosmetic consent and the cooling-off period, before-and-after photography and data protection, minor-surgery infection prevention, local-anaesthetic safety and medical-emergency readiness. With the Health and Care Act 2022 cosmetic licensing scheme on the horizon, that bar is rising. The materials below are organised around that evidence trail.
Start with the guidance
Two reads that frame what inspectors actually look for in a private clinic.
CQC for aesthetic and cosmetic clinics
What CQC registration and inspection mean for an aesthetic or cosmetic clinic, and the evidence that holds up.
The cosmetic licensing scheme that is coming
The Health and Care Act 2022 cosmetic licensing scheme has been consulted on but not commenced. What is likely in scope, and what providers should be doing now.
Policies for private and cosmetic clinics
5 sample policies written for private and cosmetic clinics. Each is a starting point to adapt to your service, roles and local arrangements, not a document to adopt unchanged.
- Private clinic
Aesthetic procedure safety policy (private clinic)
Aesthetic procedure safety mapped to Regulation 12: risk assessment, practitioner competence and safe medicines handling. A Verivius template to adapt before use.
- Private clinic
Before-and-after photography and data protection policy (private clinic)
Before-and-after clinical photography under Regulation 17: image consent, secure storage and lawful use of patient photos. A Verivius sample to tailor, not adopt.
- Private clinic
Cosmetic consent and cooling-off period policy (private clinic)
Regulation 11 consent for cosmetic work: two-stage consent, cooling-off period and under-18 limits on toxin and fillers. Verivius sample to adapt, not ready to run.
- Private clinic
Local anaesthetic safety and medical emergency policy (private clinic)
Local anaesthetic dosing and emergency response under Regulation 12, from anaphylaxis to resuscitation readiness. Verivius sample template, adapt to your service.
- Private clinic
Minor surgical procedure and infection prevention policy (private clinic)
Minor surgery and infection prevention, keyed to Regulations 12 and 15. Covers safe premises, sterile equipment and infection control. A sample to adapt.
Checklists
Audit and readiness checklists to self-check a single area before an inspection.
- Reg 12
Infection prevention and control procedure checklist
A practical infection prevention and control checklist for small CQC-regulated providers, focused on hand hygiene, cleaning, PPE and outbreak readiness.
- Reg 11
Consent and mental capacity procedure checklist
A practical consent and mental capacity checklist for small CQC-regulated providers, focused on capacity assessment, best interests and recording consent.
The general checklists (incidents, medicines, staffing, training) apply to clinics too. Browse the full checklist library.
The regulations that carry the most weight
The standards a clinic is most often tested against, each with the duty quoted from the primary source.
Regulation 9: person-centred care
Care shaped around the patient, with informed choice evidenced.
Regulation 12: safe care and treatment
Safe care: minor surgery, local anaesthetic and medical emergencies.
Regulation 13: safeguarding
Recognising and referring safeguarding concerns.
Regulation 17: good governance
The living records that show the clinic is well-led.
Regulation 20: duty of candour
Being open and honest with patients when something goes wrong.
Statutory notifications
What CQC has to be told about, and when.
See the private clinic setup in your service
The policies and checklists are free to download and adapt. Verivius loads the private clinic content into your account from day one, so cosmetic consent, procedure safety, infection prevention and CQC notifications sit in one structured trail. A Verivius consultant (an ex-CQC inspector) can also work through any of this with you against the live regulation and your service shape.
Free to start, no card. A 14-day trial when you subscribe.
Last reviewed 30 June 2026