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| Madeleine says... "When I go to see my GP, the nurse in my surgery, the pharmacist,the teachers in local schools I know they have the qualifications and skills to carry out their jobs. However, should I decide to have a piercing I can have no assurance about the qualifications, skills or experience of the person carrying out the task. The premises and equipment are subject to licensing and regulations but there are no minimum standards for training and skills of those carrying out the piercing. There is no difference between being able to pierce an ear lobe and being able to pierce a more intimate part of the body. This cannot be acceptable. Some piercings are the equivalent of having minor surgery carried out without anaesthetic and yet there is no qualification required or the need to carry out basic health checks. A young person cannot have a tattoo until they are 18 without parental consent yet they can have a potentially life threatening piercing without parental consent. I believe it is time for tattooists and piercers to be required to complete a college based course or apprenticeship before being licensed to practise. Professor Norman Noah of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine believes that a qualification should include aspects of anatomy, hygiene and diseasecontrol and operation of equipment as well as a significant practical component. I also believe we need a minimum age of 16 before a young person can have any piercing without parental consent. The one positive aspect of this is that the responsible piercers and tattooists also want to see formal qualifications and minimum ages introduced. I hope that eventually we will succeed in making this happen." |
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| Madeleine Moon MP Constituency of Bridgend Constituency office: 47 Nolton Street Bridgend CF31 3AA Tel: 01656 750002 Fax: 01656 660081 Westminster Office: Tel: 0207 219 4417 Fax: 0207 219 6488 |
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| "Christina Anderson, an inspiring woman, set up Dan Aid after her son Daniel died of septicaemia after having a lip piercing at age 17. Daniel had a severe heart condition that put him at increased risk of developing complications. He was not told of the risks and therefore denied the opportunity for informed consent." |
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