Australians must now have a health and psychological assessment before cosmetic surgery.
On Dec. 14, the Australian Health Commission (ACSQHC) set standards for all cosmetic surgery facilities in Australia to evaluate each patient’s specific needs before going under the knife.
The national standards aim to bring cosmetic surgery in line with surgical services nationwide, enhance patient protection, and improve conditions in facilities offering cosmetic procedures.
ACSQHC Clinical Director Liz Marles said (pdf) the “powerful” standards, influenced by industry-wide changes, focus on reducing the risk of patient harm by necessitating a referral to ensure suitability for surgery.
“Whenever surgery is performed, there are inherent risks that medical practitioners must carefully consider with their patients,” she said.
“There are too many cases where cosmetic surgery procedures have had poor or tragic outcomes for vulnerable people who were unaware of the risks.”
problematic cosmetic thread lift. The infection required surgery to remove an abscess and further procedures to restore her appearance.
“If proceeding, services must ensure their patient understands the risks and has provided informed consent, that the clinicians are appropriately qualified, and that there is post-operative guidance for the patient after a procedure,” Ms. Marles said.
She noted it was about showing that cosmetic surgery services thoroughly care for their patients.
“Australians will gain confidence that when they visit a cosmetic surgery service accredited to the standards, they are receiving safe and high-quality care—no matter where they access the service.”
Australia’s growing number of cosmetic procedures means more people are potentially at risk.
In 2023, cosmetic surgery was a $1.4 billion (US$941 million) industry, with thousands of procedures yearly.
With industry growth, plastic surgeon Dr. Garry Buckland welcomed the changes and noted that the cosmetic industry’s reputation and practitioners’ trustworthiness had hit a new low.
The number of reported complaints of serious harm from cosmetic surgery has grown significantly since attention was focused on the sector over the past 18 months.
Since its launch on Sept. 5, 2022, the Cosmetic Surgery Hotline has received 428 calls, with concerns ranging from patient treatment to poor outcomes.
During this time, 179 formal complaints or notifications were received, and 14 doctors have stopped practising cosmetic surgery or are under significant restrictions pending ongoing investigations in the industry.
Additionally, 12 doctors faced registration restrictions following investigations, including suspension, prohibitions on performing cosmetic surgery, supervision requirements, and formal education mandates.
“These standards, combined with reforms from AHPRA and the Medical Board of Australia, are necessary to restore patient and community confidence in cosmetic surgery and the medical practitioners who provide these services,” Dr. Buckland explained.
