Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons
The peak body for Specialist Plastic Surgeons, both reconstructive and cosmetic.
FIND A SURGEON PROCEDURES News PODCASTGriffith Review – About face
About face – Under the skin of the cosmetic surgery industry
Cosmetic surgery updates
This ‘solution’ for cosmetic surgery rogues fails patients
The health regulator’s response to Australia’s cosmetic surgery crisis is wholly inadequate. While it proposes increasing financial penalties for misconduct by self-styled “cosmetic surgeons”, these will be inconsequential for those rogue doctors operating in such commercially driven ventures. Read more.
Cosmetic surgery updates
Medical regulator AHPRA to act on rogue cosmetic surgeons, but will it protect patients?
Sunshine Coast woman Celia Brady vividly remembers going under the knife for a breast augmentation 13 years ago.
“I remember feeling the incision. I remember wanting to scream and to tell them to stop because I could feel it. But I couldn’t,” she said. Read more.
Cosmetic surgery updates
‘Completely unacceptable’: Anthony Albanese leaves door open to royal commission into cosmetic surgery industry
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has left the door open to a royal commission into the cosmetic surgery industry, saying it was “completely unacceptable” that victims of botched procedures had not had their cases adequately investigated.
Read more.
Cosmetic surgery updates
The cosmetic surgery industry needs shock therapy and must be shut down
The “cosmetic surgery” industry needs shock therapy. The only way to get the large and urgent change needed to protect the public from serious injuries is for health ministers and the national regulator (AHPRA) to close down the entire industry for a period of three to six months. This would achieve real change quickly and help overcome the lethargy shown by all involved – practitioners, regulators, politicians – in dealing with the continuing dangers to consumers arising from current widespread dangerous malpractices. Read more.
Cosmetic surgery updates
Anyone taking on the ‘cosmetic cowboys’ should take care, as I discovered
Three days after 60 Minutes exposed the dark underbelly of the cosmetic surgery industry earlier this year, health department officials arrived unannounced to inspect my consulting rooms and the hospital where I operated. They wanted to know why I was performing surgery during COVID lockdowns, which was a criminal offence.
As their mandatory records would have clearly shown, no “category 3” or elective surgery had been performed at the entire Epworth Hospital for seven months. And yet here they were, following a handwritten anonymous “tip-off” on weathered Spirax note paper. Read more.
Cosmetic Surgery Updates
Cosmetic Cowboys Disfigure Hundreds
Read the joint investigation by The Age and 60 Minutes here
Cosmetic Surgery Updates
Cosmetic surgery industry needs more than a tummy tuck
Alan Fels, former chairman Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has written an opinion piece for the Fairfax Media. Alan Fels is entirely independent of ASPS but his thoughts align with ours. You can read his piece “Cosmetic surgery industry needs more than a tummy tuck” here.
about us
Patient Safety: Plastic Surgery Regulation
The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons understands the many different options patients have when considering plastic surgery. This includes who to ask for advice or recommendations, how to select the best surgeon, as well as understanding what is actually involved to ensure your safety. Making these life-changing decisions can be daunting if you don’t know where to turn.
Only Specialist Plastic Surgeons are accredited by the Commonwealth Government of Australia, through the Australian Medical Council, to perform all reconstructive and cosmetic plastic surgery.
Click on the Find a Surgeon button below to help you find an accredited Specialist Plastic Surgeon and provide you with important information to make your decision easier.
FIND A SURGEON
The highest quality plastic surgery care for all Australians
Is your surgeon qualified to be called a “Specialist Plastic Surgeon”?
Currently in Australia, it is legal for any doctor with a basic medical degree to perform surgery. However, only Specialist Plastic Surgeons have a minimum of 12 years medical and surgical education, including 5 years of specialist postgraduate training in plastic and reconstructive surgery. Understand the training pathway for a Specialist Surgeon by reading the “recipe for a specialist surgeon” here.
Important to know: When deciding on your surgeon, remember that the Medical Board of Australia states that the “Specialist Plastic Surgeon” title can only be used by Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) – approved specialist surgeons within the recognised specialty of Plastic Surgery.
Australian Breast Device Registry (ABDR)
The Australian Breast Device Registry (ABDR) is run by Monash University. Patients and health care practitioners looking for information on the new ABDR click below.
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What is Plastic Surgery?
Reconstructive plastic surgery is concerned with improving bodily function and performed on abnormal structures of the body caused by congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, infection, tumours or disease.
Cosmetic plastic surgery is designed to improve a person’s aesthetic appearance by altering or reshaping a bodily feature whereas plastic surgery encompasses both cosmetic surgery and reconstructive surgery.
Information for General Practitioners
ASPS understands that the General Practitioner’s role in advising patients seeking Plastic Surgery is critical. As Australia’s peak body for Specialist Plastic Surgery, ASPS is able to help you guide your patients to a Specialist Plastic Surgeon who can provide the highest level of plastic surgery care, as recognised by the Medical Board of Australia.
We have also compiled reference material and questions that you can share with your patients to help them become more informed and educated about the processes involved in selecting a Specialist Plastic Surgeon and their procedure.
Training to become a Specialist Plastic Surgeon
The specialty of Plastic Surgery is one of nine surgical specialties governed by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS). Entry into the Surgical Education and Training (SET) program is highly competitive.
Trainees for Plastic Surgery are competitively selected based on their potential to become the best surgical leaders and ability to provide the highest quality of patient care.
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WHO WE ARE
About Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons
Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons Inc (ASPS) is the peak body for Specialist Plastic Surgeons (both reconstructive and cosmetic plastic surgery). Our main role is to protect the integrity of Plastic Surgery as a specialty. Our mission is to provide the highest quality plastic surgery care to all Australians.
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Featured Stories
‘Legitimises the activities of unscrupulous operators’: Cosmetic surgery safety fears
March 20, 2023 Read here
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