For clinics and traders

Last updated: 7 May 2026

For UK private medical aesthetic and cosmetic surgery providers, AR-ADR is the consumer ADR route that handles disputes out of court — fairly, in writing, and on the papers.

Why use AR-ADR

• Structured complaint handling. When a consumer complaint cannot be resolved internally, AR-ADR provides a route that is recognised, documented and external — protecting the clinic from being seen as judge in its own cause.
• Cost predictability. Subscribers pay a known annual fee. Per-case fees are fixed in advance. No costs scale with claim value.
• Faster than court. Outcomes are usually issued within 90 days of receiving a complete file, compared to many months for small claims.
• Reputational defence. A reasoned outcome from an independent body can support a clinic’s public position better than a one-sided refund.
• Regulatory readiness. A consumer ADR route signals proactive compliance and is increasingly expected of UK consumer-facing businesses.

What you get as a participating clinic

• Pre-screened complaints — only eligible cases reach you.
• Early Resolution by case officers, often settling matters without full adjudication.
• Adjudication by an independent panellist where needed, with a reasoned written decision.
• Anonymised case data and pattern feedback (subject to confidentiality) to help you improve practice.
• Transparent annual reporting that includes scheme-wide statistics, not individual identifiers.

Two ways to fund

See costs for the published fee schedule.

1. Subscription. Annual fee for ongoing membership. Subscribers are listed; outcomes are binding on the subscriber if accepted by the consumer.
2. Per-case. Non-subscribers can opt into AR-ADR for a particular dispute by paying a per-case fee, with both parties agreeing in advance.

Independence — and how it protects everyone

Funding from clinics is what allows the service to be free for consumers. To make sure that funding cannot influence outcomes, AR-ADR operates the following safeguards:

• All clinic fees are paid into the scheme as a whole. No clinic funds the case in which they are a party.
• Adjudicators are paid a fixed fee per case. Pay does not vary with outcome.
• Adjudicators do not know whether a clinic is a subscriber when a case is decided.
• Internal audit checks for any pattern of bias linked to funding status.
• Senior management and the Board have no role in deciding individual cases.

The full conflicts policy is on the independence and governance page.

What participation does not mean

• It is not an endorsement or accreditation of any clinical practice.
• It does not affect a regulator’s oversight of practitioners.
• It does not replace your own internal complaint handling — it sits after it.
• It does not waive the consumer’s right to take a court route if they reject the outcome.

Legal effect for clinics

Where a clinic is a participating subscriber, an Adjudication outcome is binding on the clinic if the consumer accepts it within the deadline set out in the decision (typically 28 days). Outcomes are not binding on the consumer unless they accept. See legal effect.

Frequently asked questions

Can a clinic refuse to take part in a particular case?

Subscribed clinics agree at point of subscription to engage with AR-ADR for in-scope disputes. Non-subscribers can decline a per-case referral; the consumer may then pursue other routes including court.

Will our subscriber status be public?

Yes. Once we are operating live cases, a list of subscribers will be published. This supports consumer transparency and helps consumers identify which clinics will be bound by AR-ADR outcomes.

What about confidentiality?

Cases are handled in confidence between the parties and AR-ADR. Anonymised statistics are published in our annual transparency report. Personal identifying detail of consumers and named practitioners is not published.

How do you handle complaints that involve clinical questions?

AR-ADR does not determine clinical negligence or personal injury damages. Where evidence touches on clinical matters, adjudicators consider it as part of the contractual and consumer-law analysis — they do not substitute themselves for a clinical regulator. See eligibility.

Express interest

We are accepting expressions of interest from UK-established providers of private medical aesthetic and cosmetic surgery services. Membership opens once approval/accreditation is granted; expressions of interest help us plan capacity and consult on scheme rules.

Email clinics@aestheticresolution.com with your clinic name, registered address, services offered, and a primary contact. We will respond within 5 working days.