Client records, is this a legal requirement?

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Fab Freak

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Hi guys, I wonder if you can help, We did a mock exam last night at college in prep for the real deal on March 18th eeekk!

One of the questions was about 'why do salons keep client treatment records' .

Now two answers were given by the class A) so another therapist can look at the clients history and b) it is a legal requirement.

I didn't honestly know if this was a legal requirement, obviously it makes good business practice and looks professional - but is it really a LEGAL requirement, can anybody clarify. :|
 
hiya,
my college exams are the 18th of march too but we have`nt done any mocks?

someone will surely be able to answer this better then myself, i am interested too, but i would`nt have thought it is a LEGAL requirement, but i think you have to get them to sign there client record cards because if they or you make a claim it can be void if no signature, but on saying that no nail salons round by me get you to sign anything.

would`nt the other come under the data protection act? if anyone can see confidential information.
mmmmmmmmm interesting :confused:
 
Yes keeping client records is a legal requirement when you are working on someones body.
It is for the client's benefit, your benefit, and any other therapist's benefit, to have a complete profile of a client and any remarks, complaints or issues that spring up.
A record of therapy should be kept for EACH and every appointment even a small repair. It should hold a complete history of each visit to the salon.
In my salon it was a sackable offense if anyone neglected to fill in the record card.
 
thankyou for that geeg i`ll remember that for the exam phewwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!
 
Thanks Geeg, my tutor didn't know - which is worrying. I keep records for all my clients (all five of them) - thanks for clearing this up.
 
the salon where i get my nails done dont keep a record of people:rolleyes: is that bad? There japenese/chinese, when you ring for a appointment they just take your name, or is that ok?
 
When you are working you must remember the client reocrds are strictly confidential - you must never leave them around for another client to see. They are a legal document and must be signed by the client and tech.
 
i havent signed anything :( weird, is this bad of my salon?
 
a client record card should be the first thing that a nail tech or beauty therapist goes through with you, unfortunatly it still amazes me how many dont do it, i have been dyed, waxed, plucked, tanned, nailed, sunbedded you name it i`ve had it done, and not once (in my area) have i been asked to fill in a client record card, just before christmas i had my eyebrows plucked n dyed, no record card, the therapist? oh she just trains me every week in college.
 
Another handy thing about record cards is that they are good for providing financial transaction records if the tax man ever queries your return.
 
i fill a client record card out every time its standard procedure.


Shelley
 
I find client cards are also useful to remember certain things about your clients i.e if they are going on holiday, if you mark it on the card and the next time they come into the salon for a treatment it'll jog your memory and you can ask them how it went. Especially if you don't see them that regularly.


Shelley
 
I fill in my clients record cards each time they visit, about treatment, polish colour etc. i also do the same as you Shelley, little notes, name of children etc, but the only time i ask people to sign is upon receiving an aftercare leaflet for enhancements...should i get a signature on all my clients cards though? :|
 
Hi,

I can see the (very necessary) need for client record cards and the benefits of keeping them but if Geeg is correct (sorry, that isn't meant to sound like I'm disputing that you are) then WHY do SO many places not do complete them and no-one seems to give at S***??

It's been drilled into us on my course the importance of the consultation form and keeping record cards UTD but not one of us attending the course has EVER hd a consultation or had records kept of ANY salon/therapy treatment we've had ANYWHERE.

If this is a legal requirement then surely there should be someone who checks the requirement is adhered to - otherwise what's the point? I'm sure they suddenly become very important for anyone who faces themselves being sued by a client and having no record to back up their case but unless people run into problems like this who actually checks or cares if these records are being taken?
 
Bryony said:
Hi,

I can see the (very necessary) need for client record cards and the benefits of keeping them but if Geeg is correct (sorry, that isn't meant to sound like I'm disputing that you are) then WHY do SO many places not do complete them and no-one seems to give at S***??

It's been drilled into us on my course the importance of the consultation form and keeping record cards UTD but not one of us attending the course has EVER hd a consultation or had records kept of ANY salon/therapy treatment we've had ANYWHERE.

If this is a legal requirement then surely there should be someone who checks the requirement is adhered to - otherwise what's the point? I'm sure they suddenly become very important for anyone who faces themselves being sued by a client and having no record to back up their case but unless people run into problems like this who actually checks or cares if these records are being taken?
Because some Salons are not practicing smart working rules......
It's the law and thats that........
But hey not all peeps abide by the law..........
The same as you need a full driving license if you want to drive a car by yourself.........
So does any one check????? Nope but it soon comes to light when they have a crash.........

The same can happen in a Salon, while it runs smooth and there are no cards, no probs, but hey wait till there is a health and saftey enquirie............
Then they are the ones that will face a heavy fine,can be shut down and even worse be taken to court due to negligence, which they can't dispute as there are no records backing up the Salon.................
So work smart, be safe it's a big bad world out there............
 
On our client record cards we included (apart from the normal and important info) the question - 'How do you take your coffee/tea?' - that way when the client returned for her rebalance (or whatever), you could go off and make her preferred drink without asking her again - the clients would always say 'wow you remembered' or 'how did you remember?' - they LOVED IT and it made them feel special!!!
 
Just out of interest, and I'm not disputing it, what law is this? What does it come under and where can I find it to check what else is law if cosmetically treating a member of the public. Are hairdressers and cosmetologists (love that word) in department stores and chemists ruled by this same law?
 
Bryony said:
I can see the (very necessary) need for client record cards and the benefits of keeping them but if Geeg is correct (sorry, that isn't meant to sound like I'm disputing that you are) then WHY do SO many places not complete them and no-one seems to give at S***??

You answered your own question ... they don't give a S***!! Either that or they don't even know that it is a legal requirement because no one has ever told them!!
Says allot for the education they received or didn't as the case may be.

My opinion of why so many technicians take short cuts has always been that to save time or to make time they neglect to do the things they should.

The typical time-savers of this type of technician are:

1. Ripping off product instead of carrying out safe removal procedures.
2. Not filling in a client record card at the initial and every other visit.
3. Not applying a base coat or short changing the polish application
4. Not doing a complete clean prep but instead 'roughing up' the nail plate to get good adhesion of the product.
5. Using a drill on the natural nailplate
6. Not sanitising their own and their clients hands before the start of the service.
7. Not doing pink and white nails as a standard procedure.
8. Not finishing off the nails to a high gloss shine.

These are just a few of the most common. Keep your professional hat on!!
 
A new client of mine had her nails done by a salon in my area, and was really disappointed with them - you could see the free edge through the tip etc and the french manicure was not applied correctly, and she had a nasty cut across one cuticle - asked if any record card was filled out - she did'nt know what that was - so no. I advised her to go back to them and tell them she was not happy - they denied all knowledge of her going to them to the point of the young girl looking straight at her saying she did not do her nails - you can imagine she was not a happy bunny and there was no record of payment as it was in cash!! Many places do not see the importance of record cards but the important thing is we do and soon more and more people will see that. hopefully!! Not doing them can be dangerous - some medical conditions, you should not do massage which must be noted down for future reference - others would be best advised not to have nail enhancements for one reason or another - playing with fire l'd say!!
 
Fab Freak said:
Hi guys, I wonder if you can help, We did a mock exam last night at college in prep for the real deal on March 18th eeekk!

One of the questions was about 'why do salons keep client treatment records' .

Now two answers were given by the class A) so another therapist can look at the clients history and b) it is a legal requirement.

I didn't honestly know if this was a legal requirement, obviously it makes good business practice and looks professional - but is it really a LEGAL requirement, can anybody clarify. :|
Louise, I have to ask the question.........this mock.......was it your Health & Safety exam?

The reason I'm asking is that I took this on Monday (just gone) and that very question was in it with 4 multiple choice answers (2 of them being what you gave). Can you remember what other questions you were given? I would be interested to know if your mock sheet was the same as my actual exam, and if so, surely the whole country has the same exam paper.

If this is the case, it really does make a mockery out of the nationally recognised exams we strive to seek.

Let me know,
Adele
 
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