In a UK-first, Wales now has mandatory licensing rules in place
to help protect the public's health when getting acupuncture,
body piercings, electrolysis, or tattoos including semi-permanent
make up.
From today (Friday 29 November), practitioners and individuals in
charge of premises or vehicles where any of these four special
procedures are performed must complete an infection prevention
and control course for special procedures, and their premises and
vehicles must meet strict safety standards, among other criteria.
These new measures, introduced by the Welsh Government, aim to
reduce the hygiene and safety risks of these special procedures,
such as bloodborne infections, by making sure only licensed
practitioners can operate and procedures are only performed in
approved premises and vehicles.
There are more than 4,000 practitioners operating in Wales who
will need to be licensed, and over 2,000 premises that will
require approval under the new mandatory licensing scheme.
All individuals must apply for a licence and/or a premises or
vehicle approval certificate from their local authority. This
includes all new applicants, as well as all existing
practitioners and businesses who have up to now been registered
with their local authority as they will need to be reassessed
under the new licensing scheme requirements.
Individuals who are currently registered with their local
authority will be allowed to continue operating while their
applications for a licence or approval certificate is being
processed.
A national register will publicise all valid licence holders and
approval certificate holders in Wales. Although this
register will be live from today, local authorities can only
upload information to the register as they grant licences and
approval certificates. It will take a number of months before the
register becomes fully populated.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Keith Reid said: “This
new licensing scheme provides important reassurance for anybody
thinking about getting acupuncture, electrolysis, a piercing,
tattoo or semi-permanent makeup that the practitioner they use is
licensed and the premises or vehicle where the procedure is
performed has been approved.
“The compulsory licensing scheme ensures that both clients and
practitioners are protected, and I am pleased the measures have
been widely welcomed by the industry.
“We want to see these special procedures take place hygienically,
safely and in appropriate environments and the licensing scheme
will provide assurance that the appropriate standards are being
met.
“The requirements of the scheme will enable local authorities to
apply a robust and consistent approach to regulation across
Wales, including more effective powers to deal with anyone who
operates illegally.”
Marie Lowe, the owner of Miss Rie's Tattoo Studio in Newport,
said: "It's good news for the special procedures industry that
these new rules are now in place. They will be important in
ensuring a consistent approach is taken by all practitioners
across Wales and our clients know they are having a procedure by
a licensed person in a safe and clean environment."
Ffion Haf Hughes, owner of Little Wren Beauty & Aesthetics in
Caernarfon, said: "The new permanent make up and tattooing
licensing scheme not only elevates industry standards, ensuring
safety and professionalism, but also instils greater confidence
in our clients. By adhering to these regulations, we enhance our
credibility and commitment to delivering high-quality services,
ultimately benefiting both our business and our valued clients."
Public Health Wales (PHW) has worked with the Welsh Government to
introduce the scheme. Samantha Matthews, Head of Nursing for
Infection Prevention and Control at PHW, said: “We welcome the
enhanced hygiene standards that licensing will bring. The
training of practitioners along with inspections of premises will
reduce the risks associated with procedures like tattooing,
piercing and acupuncture. We hope this will not only raise
standards and protect health, but also offer reassurance to those
undergoing such procedures.”
Notes to editors
- The measures are introduced under Part 4 and Schedule 3 of
the Public Health (Wales) Act 2017 to improve standards of
infection prevention and control in the special procedures
industry, namely acupuncture, body piercing, electrolysis and
tattooing (including semi-permanent makeup).
- The Welsh Government consulted on the mandatory licensing
scheme between 25 January and 19 April 2023 and March and April
2024.
- There will now be a transition period to allow practitioners
and premises or vehicles who are currently registered to continue
to practise in the short term whilst local authorities process
their applications under the new licensing scheme. Local
authorities will notify those individuals when they have reached
a decision on their applications under the new scheme and will
issue the licence/approval certificate if this has been granted.
At that point the transitional arrangements for them will cease.
- The aim of the national special procedures register is to
give confidence to the public who seek to have a procedure that
all practitioners appearing on the register are licensed and all
premises or vehicles where the procedures are performed are
approved by their local authority to operate in Wales.
