Wales to Introduce Mandatory National Scheme for Special Procedures

Wales is looking to roll out the United Kingdom’s first mandatory national licensing scheme for special procedures, such as tattooing.

This will be introduced under the Public Health (Wales) Act 1970 in the hopes of improving standards of infection prevention and control measures across the industry. It will also introduce a central public register for licensed practitioners and business premises.

There are an estimated 3,516 practitioners operating in Wales who would need to obtain a licence as well as 1,868 premises that would require approval under the scheme. A 3-month consultation has been launched to seek views from interested parties.

https://www.gov.wales/mandatory-licensing-special-procedures-wales

The new proposals have been widely welcomed by practitioners in Wales with many already volunteering to meet the new standards and have commended the work that the Welsh Government has sought to achieve with the development of this legislation.