A Bridgend beautician has been fined for providing laser treatments without the registration required by law. Mrs Lady Helen Mary Morgan-Wooldridge offered the treatments at Fake It - Beauty and Aesthetics in Bridgend.
Investigation and Continued Treatments
In February 2025, Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW) found the treatments were unregistered. The following month, on March 5, 2025, she was told to stop providing them, but an investigation showed unregistered treatments continued.
Morgan-Wooldridge told HIW that intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments would stop. However, during an unannounced visit on June 11, 2025, HIW found two Class 4 laser devices and used its powers to seize evidence as part of its investigation.
Evidence and Prosecution
Records showed 55 laser treatments were provided to 16 customers, including 19 treatments recorded after HIW had instructed her to stop. Morgan-Wooldridge was prosecuted by HIW as part of its role as the independent inspectorate and regulator of healthcare in Wales.
Providers offering services using Class 4 lasers or IPL have legal responsibilities before providing treatments. Where registration with HIW is required, providing those services without registration is a criminal offence.
Class 4 lasers are described on the UK Government website as having "an output power greater than 500 mW for which intrabeam viewing and skin exposure is hazardous and for which the viewing of diffuse reflections may be hazardous. These lasers also often represent a fire hazard".
Court Outcome
The provider pleaded guilty to two offences under sections 11 and 26 of the Care Standards Act 2000 and was told to pay £8,960, made up of a fine and costs incurred by HIW and Welsh Government legal services.
During the investigation, an old, invalid HIW registration certificate was found displayed at the premises. During an interview under caution, she accepted that displaying the former certificate at the new premises could give customers the impression that the service was registered.
Scott Howe from Healthcare Inspectorate Wales said: "Registration is an important part of protecting people using independent healthcare services in Wales. Where registration is required by law, providers must be registered before delivering those services.
"In this case, treatments continued after HIW had made it clear that the registerable services must stop. Our investigation uncovered evidence which ultimately resulted in this criminal prosecution.
"This case sends a clear message to providers. Failing to comply with registration requirements can result in criminal prosecution and conviction. We will take appropriate enforcement action where necessary to protect people using healthcare services in Wales."
