Vanity,
Would you be kind enough to share what STD tests your have run? I recently asked for STD testing when I was at the doctor's office for an entirely different test. All they gave me was an HIV test. Yeah, I hadn't done my research before hand. I mentioned later I actually felt more concerned about other STDs, many of which I heard don't always show symptoms. It would kill me to pass along something to someone else, especially if it was just because I didn't take some simple test. The doctor's response was that if you have never had symptoms (nope), never shared needles with prostitutes (nope), or never engaged in risky practices in third world countries (nope), and your liver was functioning normally (yes, recently tested), then other tests weren't called for. I wasn't really satisfied with that response. But a small amount of research led me more towards agreement than disagreement. Still, I'd rather be confident about not giving someone else an STD than saving myself a few bucks. So, this long-winded rambling is my explanation of why I'm asking something that is personal. Your series of STD tests would be a excellent starting point for researching a thorough battery of STD tests. Otherwise I'm back to the random walk through the web. If you don't feel comfortable with this question, just ignore it, and I'll offer you my sincere apologies.
Does Canada or Victoria require any STD testing for SPs?
Do your clients actually ask to see your health certificate? I think you implied they do, but perhaps you were indicating that you had no problems showing it if they were to ask.
Perhaps better answered by others - is it common, rare, or extremely unusual to ask to see an SP's health certificate?
What is the proper etiquette for asking to see an SP's health certificate? I can't help but feeling it's a rude start to the session, but it certainly should be a perfectly valid part of the initial business agreement. Perhaps the client should say they would like to see the certificate when booking the appointment. Then it would be part of the initial formalities rather than a surprise for which the SP might be unprepared or take offence to. What's your suggestion? There's also the problem that the SP either shows the actual certificate with all her personal data like real name and age, or she shows an altered certificate that could belong to anyone. Perhaps there is some sort of picture ID that accommodates this situation. How does that work?
I don't think SPs ask clients for health certificates. In some places, SPs do an initial inspection of the client for STD symptoms. That doesn't seem to be the practice in Victoria. Is this done surreptitiously? Or are only the most obvious symptoms noticed? I'm sure it must have happened, but are clients ever turned down for suspicious sores or blemishes?
Boy, this has turned into a real grilling. But your insightful reply got me thinking.
Thanks! Again, if I'm getting too personal, I'm sorry.