From the 1st of July, the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Aphra) implemented new guidelines for doctors who perform cosmetic surgery (Ahpra, 2023).
Cosmetic surgery, defined as “operations and other procedures that revise or change the appearance, colour, texture, structure, or position of normal bodily features with the dominant purpose of achieving what the patient perceives to be a more desirable appearance” now introduces stronger guidance and fresh regulations concerning the advertising of cosmetic surgery services.
Below are some essential updates that will enhance your cosmetic experience.
- Patients seeking cosmetic surgery will need a referral from their GP.
This enables patients to discuss their motivation for cosmetic surgery with their GP, who will then be able to share this with the medical practitioner.
The medical practitioner must discuss and assess the patient’s reasons and motivation for requesting surgery.
A simple psychology questionnaire will be given to you electronically, face to face, or as a paper questionnaire.
If practitioners believe the type of surgery is not in the best interests of the patient, they may be declined.
- Patients are required to have at least two consultations followed by a cooling-off period before booking surgery.
You must have at least two pre-operative consultations. At least one of the two consultations must be in person with the medical practitioner.
Once the two consultations are completed, a cooling-off period of at least seven (7) days will be required. Following this, you will then be able to schedule a date for your surgery and make a deposit payment.
- Patients will be provided with enough information to make an informed decision about whether to have the surgery.
Your medical practitioner must have a verbal consent discussion with the patient as well as provide written information in plain language that is not glamorised or implies patients can achieve outcomes that aren’t realistic.
Prioritise your research and seek a second opinion from a qualified Specialist Plastic Surgeon before proceeding.
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Dr Rohan Page 9380 0388 or email hello@drpage.com.au
Resources:
https://www.medicalboard.gov.au/News/2023-04-03-cos-surgery-update.aspx
August 2023