Tattoo Removal (Hansard, 3 June 1992)

§ Mrs. Gorman
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average cost to public funds for a tattoo to be removed.

§ Mr. Sackville
This information is not available centrally. The cost will vary according to such factors as the size and type of tattoo to be removed.
561W

§ Mrs. Gorman
To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many tattoos have been removed under the national health service for each of the most recent years for which figures are available.

§ Mr. Sackville
This information is not available centrally.

§ Mrs. Gorman
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will issue advice to tattooists on the advice to give potential customers about the ease with which tattoos can be removed.

§ Mr. Sackville
The decision to have a tattoo is a matter for individual freedom of choice. We would expect that tattooists inform customers of the ease of removal as part of normal good practice. The Department has issued model byelaws which enable local authorities to satisfy themselves that any premises offering skin piercing procedures are safe.

§ Mrs. Gorman
To ask the Secretary of State for Health if she will list for each health authority in England and Wales the number of patients waiting for operations; and of those how many are waiting for the removal of tattoos.

§ Mr. Sackville
Provisional figures for the number of patients waiting in England at 31 March 1992, are given in the table. Waiting time information on those waiting for tattoo removal, as with other specific conditions, is not collected centrally. Information relating to Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

Patients waiting at 31 March 1992¹ In-patients and day cases

Number

Northern 57,285

Yorkshire 69,634

Trent 85,514

East Anglia 41,055

North West Thames 55,727

North East Thames 78,158

South East Thames 76,261

South West Thames 46,361

Wessex 56,375

Oxford 46,201

South Western 65,692

West Midlands 90,002

Mersey 50,081

North Western 83,795

SHAs 13,456

ENGLAND 915,607

¹ Based on provisional figures from regional health authorities.

Patients waiting at 31 March 1992¹ In-patients and day cases
	Number
Northern	57,285
Yorkshire	69,634
Trent	85,514
East Anglia	41,055
North West Thames	55,727
North East Thames	78,158
South East Thames	76,261
South West Thames	46,361
Wessex	56,375
Oxford	46,201
South Western	65,692
West Midlands	90,002
Mersey	50,081
North Western	83,795
SHAs	13,456
ENGLAND	915,607
¹ Based on provisional figures from regional health authorities.