Australian Government introducing changes to cosmetic surgery process from 1 July 2023.
The Medical Board of Australia and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) are implementing updated guidelines for cosmetic surgery as of 1 July 2023.
These guidelines include the requirement for patients to have a referral letter from their GP or another specialist provider, minimum of two consultations with a surgeon prior to booking surgery, and completion of a psychologist questionnaire to support the surgeon in assessing a patient’s readiness and suitability for cosmetic surgery. If there are concerns raised during the psychological questionnaire, you may be referred to see a psychologist. Cosmetic surgery is not suitable for every patient at any given time, and further consideration of surgery will only proceed if it is considered in your best interest. These are processes that have always been followed by Mr Keating at Hobart Plastic Surgery, and we support the government mandating these steps. Additionally, following your second consultation with the surgeon, you will need to wait a minimum of 7 days until you can schedule a date for your surgery and make a deposit payment.
Please note these processes are mandatory and cannot be waived for any patient.
PACSS is a validated screening tool that assesses your emotional preparedness for surgery.
