As of 1 July 2023, significant changes have been made to Australia's cosmetic surgery industry. These are part of a sweeping reform package issued by the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) and Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) after an independent review found unsafe practices, misleading advertising and a need for minimum standards on qualifications.
The review was necessitated after alarming media reports of unsafe practices and medical misconduct of certain ‘cosmetic cowboys’ in the sector. As such, the new regulations are designed to protect patients and improve the standard of care for cosmetic procedures.
WHAT'S NEW?
The new reforms mandate that all cosmetic surgery patients must have a GP referral, be screened for underlying psychological disorders such as body dysmorphic disorder, have at least two preoperative consultations (at least one in-person with
