Consultation & consent for toxin in the UK — what's genuinely essential?
Putting my paperwork together properly. For botulinum toxin specifically, what must be covered in the consult and consent in the UK?
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From the prescribing/POM side, the non-negotiables: • Botulinum toxin is a prescription-only medicine — there must be a prescriber and a valid prescription for the named patient, following a proper assessment. • Full medical history: pregnancy/breastfeeding, neuromuscular disorders (e.g. myasthenia gravis), relevant medications, allergies, prior treatments and reactions. • Realistic expectations, onset (~3–7 days, peak ~2 weeks), duration (~3–4 months), and that a two-week review/top-up may be needed. • Risks: bruising, headache, asymmetry, brow/eyelid ptosis, and that effects are temporary. • You cannot treat under-18s for cosmetic purposes in England — it's illegal. • Written consent, contemporaneous notes, batch numbers, doses and injection points recorded, and before photos.
To add: give a genuine cooling-off opportunity and don't inject someone the same hour they first enquired if they're wavering. Document the discussion in the patient's own words where you can, and always safety-net — clear aftercare and a route to reach you if they're worried.
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