Pillar Two: Education

Skin is a vital organ, and the work done on it—whether by a doctor, therapist, or aesthetician—deserves education that reflects this.

At present, no unified national skin curriculum exists. Skin is taught inconsistently, and often without reference to public health priorities or organ-level understanding. Training varies not only in depth, but in focus—leaving both professionals and the public vulnerable to gaps in knowledge.

The Skin Well™ believes the answer lies not in dismantling the current system—but in strengthening it.

The Skin Well™ is proposing the introduction of a national skin education overlay called the Skin Competency and Integrity Modules (S.C.I.M.):
a structured framework of skin-specific education that would sit alongside existing qualifications at Levels 3 to 7, and provide clarity, consistency, and public alignment across all skin-facing professions.

Why This Matters

• Skin education today is inconsistent.
  National Occupational Standards (NOS) exist to guide training, but there is no statutory body ensuring they are interpreted or delivered consistently—or that they are aligned with current public health priorities.

• Training is often disjointed from health policy.
  While awarding bodies use NOS to shape qualifications, oversight currently sits outside the Department of Health and Social Care—even though skin is a vital organ and increasingly treated in health-adjacent contexts.

• Professionals want clarity.
  Many in the sector—both medical and non-medical—have long called for a clearer, safer, and more trustworthy framework for skin education and progression.

• The public assumes statutory oversight.
  Clients assume skin advice and treatments are guided by national health standards. In reality, while qualifications follow NOS, there is no direct health department oversight or national skin curriculum in place. This Matters

What The Skin Well™ is calling for:

The introduction of a National Skin Education Overlay, delivered through a structured series of Skin Competency & Integrity Modules (S.C.I.M.™) across Levels 3 to 7.

Overlay, not overhaul.
The National Skin Education Overlay would enhance—not replace—existing Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology, and modality-based training. It ensures that skin education is consistent, evidence-informed, and aligned with public health guidance.

Oversight by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), in partnership with a proposed General Skin & Aesthetics Council (GSAC). This ensures national consistency and accountability across the sector.

Inclusion of both medics and non-medics.
All professionals working with skin—doctors, nurses, dentists, therapists—should meet a shared national standard of skin health education, appropriate to their level and scope of practice.

Clear routes into skin therapy.
This framework also supports the long-term development of a standalone training route for skin therapists, for those who do not wish to study broader beauty therapy but still want to work in health-aligned skin care.

Who Could Benefit

• Beauty and aesthetics practitioners

• Dentists and GPs offering skin services

• Pharmacists and skin advisors in retail

• Allied health professionals (e.g. dietitians, occupational therapists, physiotherapists)

• Nurses (especially in dermatology, community, wound care, and aesthetics)

• Care workers and community support staff

• Any future professional coming into contact with the skin—directly or indirectly

• Any role advising the public on health and care pathways involving skin—including non-clinical triage staff (e.g. NHS 111 or 911 call handlers) who help guide next steps

Inside Pillar 2: Education
This section is currently in development. Over the coming weeks, I’ll be adding resources, frameworks, and proposals for a national approach to skin education.

For now, you can explore:

• A Clear Case for Skin Education – why the UK needs a unified, health-guided approach to skin education that supports both the public and the profession.

Upcoming content will include:

• The Proposed National Skin Education Framework (S.C.I.M.)

• Who Should Deliver It – training routes, governance, and national oversight

• FAQs and Challenges – addressing questions from professionals, awarding bodies, and regulators