National Assembly for Wales

The work to commence Part 4 of the Public Health (Wales) Act 2017 continues.  This will introduce a mandatory licensing scheme for special procedures in Wales. Our aim is for the statutory licensing scheme to come into force in the summer of 2024, when it will initially apply to the four special procedures specified in the Act:  electrolysis; body piercing; tattooing; and acupuncture. 

The Act also includes powers for additional procedures to be added in future but Welsh Ministers can only exercise those powers where a procedure is being performed for aesthetic or non-medical therapeutic purposes and is deemed capable of causing harm to health. The inclusion of the four special procedures within the Act followed detailed consultation and research, and thorough consideration of all the evidence, including each procedure’s potential harm to human health, as well as the frequency at which those procedures are carried out. The same process would need to apply to any proposals for the addition of further designated special procedures to the licensing framework. Matters such as age restrictions would then be considered for inclusion in the conditions of the licence.

There is no firm timetable in place at present for considering the inclusion of any additional procedures.  This is because it is imperative that focus is maintained on the smooth transfer of all practitioners from the existing registration scheme to the mandatory licensing scheme once introduced.  It is also essential to ensure that the new scheme is firmly established and running efficiently for the four specified procedures in the Act before considering adding any more.

When the Welsh Government is in a position to consider the possible inclusion of other cosmetic procedures as ‘special procedures’, we will engage fully and consult widely with all relevant stakeholders to secure their views and expertise in identifying what additional procedures should be considered for inclusion.