Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons supports Federal Court ruling in Favour of AHPRA, upholding restrictions on ‘Facial Plastic Surgeon’ title

Sydney.  September 2, 2024. The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) welcomes the Federal Court’s ruling against the Australian Society of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgeons (ASOHNS), preventing its member practitioners, who have not completed plastic surgery training, from calling themselves “Facial Plastic Surgeons”.

The ruling further strengthens and supports the September 2023 changes made to the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act 2009, restricting the use of the title ‘surgeon’, and confirms that practitioners must refer to themselves using their AHPRA registered title.

ASOHNS challenged the Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Authority (AHPRA) in the Federal Court seeking authority to call themselves “Facial Plastic Surgeons”. AHPRA contended that advertising to that effect would contravene provisions of the National Law concerning use of a specialist title and registration. 

Dr David Morgan, President Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons said: “We are delighted the Federal Court dismissed the application brought by ASOHNS, and found in favour of AHPRA.  

Dr Morgan continued: “This is a significant win, protecting the unique and highly-valued training of Plastic Surgeons and strengthening our specialist title – only Plastic Surgeons are properly able to call themselves Plastic Surgeons, as common sense would clearly confirm as appropriate.

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