The ability to listen and learn from one another has always been vital in parliament, in business and in most aspects of daily life. But at this particular moment in time, as national and global events continue to reiterate, it is uncommonly crucial that we forge new channels of communication and reinforce existing ones. The following article from Cosmetech Maypole Clinic is an attempt to do just that. We would welcome your thoughts on this or any other Parliamentary Review article.
Cosmetech Maypole Clinic
THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
38 | COSMETECH MAYPOLE CLINIC
Co-founder and Managing
Director Lena Gillespie
Clinics in Holywood, County
Down and Chelsea, London
Cosmetech offers non-surgical cosmetic treatments
in two locations: The Maypole Clinic in Holywood,
Northern Ireland, and The Chelsea Private Clinic in
Chelsea, London. Unlike many other clinics in this sector our
treatments are administered by a team of consultant surgeons
who specialise in reconstructive, plastic and maxillofacial
surgery across both the NHS and the private sector. Director
Lena Gillespie explains that her team understand the anatomy
and physiology of the face, which positions them perfectly to
achieve the standards promised at Cosmetech.
We were founded in 2006 in Holywood, County Down when a gap was identified
in the market for non-surgical cosmetic treatments. At this time, botox and
dermal fillers were starting to become mainstream for the general public in an
unregulatedindustry.
My business partner, Mr Ashok Songra, is a maxillofacial consultant surgeon with a
specialist interest in non-surgical treatments after reconstructive surgery. We used
his unique position and expertise to drive the business forward for people who
were looking for non-surgical treatments and who understood the importance of
such knowledge and experience.
Led by clinical and surgical excellence
In 2011, we relocated to our flagship Maypole Clinic in Holywood. This was
in response to increased demand and as the business was thriving, we were
FACTS ABOUT
COSMETECH MAYPOLE CLINIC
»Co-founder and Managing
Director: Lena Gillespie
»Established in 2006
»Based in Holywood, County
Down
»Services: Non-surgical anti-
ageing treatments
»No. of employees: 43
Cosmetech Maypole
Clinic
BEST PRACTICE SPONSOR 2020
THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
38 | COSMETECH MAYPOLE CLINIC
Co-founder and Managing
Director Lena Gillespie
Clinics in Holywood, County
Down and Chelsea, London
Cosmetech offers non-surgical cosmetic treatments
in two locations: The Maypole Clinic in Holywood,
Northern Ireland, and The Chelsea Private Clinic in
Chelsea, London. Unlike many other clinics in this sector our
treatments are administered by a team of consultant surgeons
who specialise in reconstructive, plastic and maxillofacial
surgery across both the NHS and the private sector. Director
Lena Gillespie explains that her team understand the anatomy
and physiology of the face, which positions them perfectly to
achieve the standards promised at Cosmetech.
We were founded in 2006 in Holywood, County Down when a gap was identified
in the market for non-surgical cosmetic treatments. At this time, botox and
dermal fillers were starting to become mainstream for the general public in an
unregulatedindustry.
My business partner, Mr Ashok Songra, is a maxillofacial consultant surgeon with a
specialist interest in non-surgical treatments after reconstructive surgery. We used
his unique position and expertise to drive the business forward for people who
were looking for non-surgical treatments and who understood the importance of
such knowledge and experience.
Led by clinical and surgical excellence
In 2011, we relocated to our flagship Maypole Clinic in Holywood. This was
in response to increased demand and as the business was thriving, we were
FACTS ABOUT
COSMETECH MAYPOLE CLINIC
»Co-founder and Managing
Director: Lena Gillespie
»Established in 2006
»Based in Holywood, County
Down
»Services: Non-surgical anti-
ageing treatments
»No. of employees: 43
Cosmetech Maypole
Clinic
39COSMETECH MAYPOLE CLINIC |
HEALTH & SOCIAL WORK
in a position to purchase our own
premises. This clinic holds a D1
medical licence, and spans 5,000
square feet, complete with 13
consultation and treatment rooms.
We did not require the entire site,
and independently rented the
building to other healthcare providers,
adding another revenue stream to
thebusiness.
Our expansion continued in 2013
when we opened The Chelsea Private
Clinic, which occupies over 3,000
square feet with 11 consultation and
treatment rooms. There’s a team of
more than 40 people across the two
sites, and while both clinics perform
similar treatments, including botox,
dermal filler and threadlifts, Chelsea
also offers colonic hydrotherapy and
wellbeingtreatments.
A key element of our success is
our status as a consultant surgeon-
led clinic which is associated with
excellence. Northern Ireland has a
small population and the majority
of consultants and doctors still work
within the NHS and private practice.
Northern Ireland: perfect for
our work
Northern Ireland has one of the
leading maxillofacial units in the world
as a result of injuries sustained during
the Troubles. As such, we knew there
were a number of specialists in this
field who had an interest in cosmetic
treatments, something developed from
their therapeutic requirements post-
reconstructive surgery.
On the back of this expertise, we have
also established our own training
academy. This was crucial to the
development of our business, and
assisted with the training of our own
team. This helps to set a benchmark
and develops our image as an industry
leader, as we train on average five
doctors a month to perform botox and
dermal filler treatments.
Regulatory challenges in
aesthetics
Although this is presently an
unregulated industry, we have always
been passionate about achieving the
Cosmetech Chelsea
At present, any
unqualified
person can
obtain potentially
dangerous
dermal fillers and
inject them in a
non-clinical
environment
which will
obviously
increase the
associated
treatment
risks
“
“
THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
THE PARLIAMENTARY REVIEW
Highlighting best practice
40 | COSMETECH MAYPOLE CLINIC
highest possible standards. We have
always been vigilant in selecting the
best quality of injectable products,
which have the highest safety profile,
and these treatments are only
administered by trained doctors in a
clinical environment.
At present, any unqualified person can
obtain potentially dangerous dermal
fillers and inject them in a non-clinical
environment which will obviously
increase the associated treatment risks.
The general public are not aware that
some of the risks from dermal fillers
can include instant death, strokes
and blindness. There is not a day that
goes by without a story in the media
concerning botched botox or dermal
filler treatments.
We would welcome the introduction
of regulation to protect both the
public and the industry. Competition
is healthy in any business environment
,but because there is a lack of any
significant regulation, competitors can
choose to buy low-cost and dangerous
products which can be administered by
someone with no medical knowledge.
The UK is one the least regulated
countries in Europe in our field, so
far so that it is often nicknamed the
“wild wild West” at international
industry conventions. This year, new
CQC regulation has been implemented
for threadlifts to the UK mainland,
although it remains an unregulated
activity in Northern Ireland.
In spite of success with this one
example of an injectable treatment,
there are still many other treatments
that remain unregulated. This positive
progress leaves us confident about the
future of regulation, but there is still
much to be done if we are to ensure
professional standards are maintained
and the public are protected from
unscrupulous operators.
The general
public are not
aware that
some of the
risks from
dermal fillers
can include
instant death,
strokes and
blindness
“
“
An environment that
promotes clinical
excellence