Consultation and consent forms: what to ask, what to keep, how long

This is general guidance, not legal advice. Check your own situation with your insurer, your local authority or your professional body.

What the form is for

A consultation form is the record that you checked a client was suitable for a treatment before you started, told them what to expect, and agreed it together. The NHBF's professional code of conduct for salon owners says thorough consultations should be carried out and records completed, and that healthcare questionnaires should be used where applicable for beauty and aesthetic clients. It also expects you to explain possible side effects, after-effects, limitations and contraindications in advance.

Typical sections

• Name, contact details, date of birth and an emergency contact.
• Health questions relevant to the treatment (allergies, skin conditions, medication, pregnancy, recent procedures).
• The treatment planned, products used and any patch test result.
• Aftercare advice you gave.
• Consent, signature and date.

Health answers are private

Health information is treated as a special category of personal data under UK GDPR, which generally prohibits processing it unless a condition applies, one being explicit consent for specified purposes (Article 9). In practice: keep health answers apart from anything to do with marketing, store them securely, and use them only to treat the client safely. Ask about newsletters and offers in a separate, optional tick box that does not affect whether they can book. If you are unsure which legal basis suits you, take advice.

Photos need their own permission

Do not fold photo consent into the general form. The NHBF code says permission should be obtained in advance if an identifiable image of a person is used in your advertising. Ask separately, say where the image will appear (your website, Instagram, a printed portfolio), and make clear that "no" changes nothing about their treatment. Record the answer.

Signatures and dates

Have the client sign and date each form, and date every update. If you work with under 16s or vulnerable adults, the NHBF code says written permission should come from a parent or legal guardian, who should also be present during treatment.

How long to keep records

The NHBF code states that consultation and healthcare records should be retained for at least six years. Insurers set their own requirements and these can differ by treatment, so check your policy wording or ask your insurer for their period in writing. For tattooing and piercing, ask your local authority too.

Keeping the form up to date

Ask clients to confirm or update their answers at every visit, or at least when something changes. Keep earlier versions rather than overwriting them, so you can show what was said on the day.

When a client answers yes to a flag

Do not guess. Pause the booking, explain why, and decide with the client whether to go ahead, adapt the treatment, or ask for their GP's view. Write down what was said and what you decided. If the answer takes you beyond your training or what your insurer covers, do not proceed until you have checked.

Do this next

1. Pull out your current form and separate health questions, photo permission and marketing permission into three distinct parts.
2. Add a signature and date line, and a "changes since last visit" line.
3. Look up your insurer's record-keeping requirement and write it down.
4. Decide where records are stored and who can see them.
5. Write a short note of what you do when a client ticks a flag.

With The Finisher, forms, consent and records sit in one back office you own, not a pile of paper and apps. See our page for your craft.

Sources

• NHBF Professional Code of Conduct for Salon Owners (2024) (read 22 Oct 2026)
• UK GDPR Article 9, legislation.gov.uk (read 22 Oct 2026)

Last checked 22 October 2026. General guidance, not legal or tax advice.

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