CBI to license spa therapists

Demand for a process to verify the qualifications of therapists in the UAE has been met with a new partnership between the Ministry of Health (MOH) and spa training school the Cleopatra Beauty Institute (CBI).

Daniella Russell, director of CBI parent company Wafi Health and Leisure, revealed that the MOH had appointed CBI to help license spas in the UAE by making sure qualifications are of an international standard.

"We hope it will make a difference," said Russell. The MOH is driving it but referring to CBI as the educational centre, she said.

"People in the UAE, excluding Dubai, have to be endorsed by us if they want to open a spa or bring in new staff. If clients don't pass the accreditation process, they will be given guidelines as to how they can achieve it and by what time," said Russell.

She added that CBI had been in "gentle discussions" with the MOH on the issue for a couple of years but that MOH was now very dedicated to following the process through.

Russell explained that the new process would only be applicable to spas outside of Dubai because Dubai's spas came under the regulations of the Department of Health.

The news means that spa managers need to focus now on recruiting staff with international qualifications or investing in adequate training for existing staff.

Spa development manager for Timeless Spa Albert Ng, who spoke to Leisure Manager about industry regulations just last month, said: "We need to be recruiting staff at the right standards for this. So now, we need to have the right positioning, otherwise in two-three years time I will find I will be unable to get visas for my staff."

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