A government-backed online register has launched in the UK, aimed at helping consumers to make informed decisions on how to choose a safe provider of injectable cosmetic treatments such as Botox® and dermal fillers.

Called Treatments You Can Trust, the directory contains 156 clinical sites across the UK with a further 113 currently working towards registration. In addition, providers of injectable cosmetic treatments practicing in an additional 439 locations have formally registered an interest, representing an estimated 50 per cent of those eligible for registration.

Dr Andrew Vallance-Owen, chair of the Independent Healthcare Advisory Services (IHAS) Working Group, responsible for the development of Treatments You Can Trust, said: "Treatments You Can Trust will give the public access to the best possible standard of care. We are appalled by the sheer volume of bad practice within the industry but there is also a lot of good clinical practice and we are convinced that the great majority of providers are 100 per cent behind improving patient safety.

"The Treatments You Can Trust scheme is all about assuring best practice in these injectable cosmetic treatments; we therefore call the public to make a conscious decision to look out of the IHAS Quality Assurance Mark when choosing a provider, to ensure a safe treatment and good results."

To ensure all providers are equipped with the knowledge to submit their application for registration, the IHAS will offer paper referrals, telephone support and email assistance.

The scheme's launch follows six years of discussion between industry and health officials about how patient protection could be improved within the market of injectable cosmetic treatments. Details: treatmentsyoucantrust.co.uk