Tattooists react as UK first mandatory licensing rules coming into place to protect public across Wales

Dale Spridgeon Local Democracy Reporter

Tattoo artists have had their say on new mandatory licensing rules which have come into force across Wales.

In a UK-first, Wales has implemented new rules aimed at helping protect the public’s health when getting acupuncture, body piercings, electrolysis, or tattoos and semi-permanent make up.

While some tattooists have welcomed the measures, others raised concerns over having more “hoops to jump through”, with fears the measures will cost them more money.

From Friday, November 29, practitioners and individuals in charge of premises or vehicles where procedures are performed must complete an infection prevention and control course.

Their premises and vehicles must meet strict safety standards.

New measures

The new measures, introduced by the Welsh Government, aim to reduce the hygiene and safety risks of these special procedures, such as from blood borne infections.

It means that only licensed practitioners can operate and procedures can only be performed in approved premises and vehicles.

There are more than 4,000 practitioners operating in Wales who will need to be licensed, with over 2,000 premises which will require approval under the new mandatory licensing scheme.

They must now 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 and will need to be reassessed.

Those currently registered with their local authority will be allowed to continue operating while their applications for a licence or approval certificate is being processed.

National register

A national register will publicise all valid licence holders and approval certificate holders in Wales.

Local authorities can only upload information to the register as they grant licences and approval certificates, but it could take a number of months before the register becomes fully populated, the Welsh Government has warned.

Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Keith Reid said: “This new compulsory licensing scheme provides important reassurance for anybody thinking about getting acupuncture, electrolysis, a piercing, tattoo or semi-permanent make-up that the practitioner they use is licensed and the premises or vehicle where the procedure is performed has been approved.

“It 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.”

Confidence

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.”

Others were less convinced by the new rules. Sascia Marquez, of Inkvasion Custom Tattoo, an all-female business in Bangor, told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “This decision has been pushed back a few times, and it should be.

“I hate it, they are just turning us into cash cows, it is not about the safety of the public.

“They are not making it safer – as it stands anyone who has zero training as long as they meet the bylaws can get a premises licence and an individual licence but nowhere in the new rules do they check that you can actually do the job.

“That’s the things they should have focused on – rather than telling them they need an extra sink or change the windows for more adequate ventilation.

“A lot of these things will double the price of running the business.

“I have changed premises, I had to re-license myself and the studio all over again, when this comes in, I will have to pay and do it all again.

“There are lots of us who are not in agreement.

“We had several meetings about this, it has been going on for two years. I was a guest speaker at the one in Llandudno.

“This has all come about because of infections in Newport, in 2014. Public health needs this, but it is nothing to do with tattoo artists.”

She added: “We will have to reapply every three years, do DBS checks – we only tattoo over 18-year-olds anyway – and most of the professional ones already have Level 2 infection control certification – but now we can only get it from one of their providers.

“Once it has gone through, we will have three months grace period to have all the things in place, like a DBS, level 2, plans of the studio, written plans, and everything has to be bi-lingual, which I am not against, but it’s just all the thing we will have to do.

“Once it is in, it will take them a long time to do all the inspections.

“On paper, it sounds like a really good idea – but all they are doing is making people like us, who are already professionals, jump through more hoops.”

“More of the same”

George Bulled, of Black Dragon Tattoos in Caernarfon, said: “To me, it all just looks like the same sort of thing that we have always had to do, there is always something you have got to change or to do to keep up with the rules.

“You have got to keep up with hygiene, anyway.

“It just seems to be more of the same kind of thing to me.

“I think everyone is a bit annoyed by it all, it does seem to mean we will have to jump through more hoops, the landscape looks the same to me as before – you just have to pay more.”

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, welcomed the news saying: “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.”

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.

Local authorities will then notify those individuals when they have reached a decision.