Building success in a regional plastic surgery hub

The Warrnambool Case Study 2026 highlights how a regional plastic surgery hub can support local access to specialist care, strengthen training opportunities and contribute to a more sustainable rural and regional workforce.
Before establishing his practice, plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr Rob Toma spent six months evaluating regional centres across Australia. His search ultimately led him to Warrnambool in south-west Victoria.

The region had a growing population, high rates of skin cancer, a significant farming and industrial workforce with associated injuries, and limited access to specialist plastic surgery services. At the time, many patients were required to travel to Geelong or Melbourne for treatment.

“I chose Warrnambool after research, noting population size, growth, service available in the town and lack of support for plastics work within a large catchment area,” Dr Toma says.

Before specialist services were available locally, patients requiring reconstructive surgery, hand trauma management or complex skin cancer treatment often experienced delays and fragmented care pathways.

Since opening Warrnambool Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (WPRS) in 2012, Dr Toma has overseen the development of one of regional Australia’s largest multidisciplinary specialist surgical practices.

WPRS has transformed from its humble beginnings. As a single-surgeon practice to a regional specialist service spanning south-west Victoria and the Limestone Coast of South Australia. Growth has occurred in response to both community need and strategic workforce development. Plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr John Masters joined the practice in 2016, bringing expertise in hand and wrist surgery. Dermatologist Professor Werner Sinclair later joined the team, enabling WPRS to secure a licence to offer MoleMap™ by Dermatologists, an important addition in a region with a high burden of skin cancer.

The service continued to diversify with the arrival of general surgeon Dr Scholtz Wiggett, whose expertise in breast cancer and varicose vein management led to the establishment of the South Coast Vein Institute and later the South West Breast Clinic, operated jointly with Dr Toma. Additional consulting services were established in Mount Gambier, while cosmetic and skin health services expanded through Skin Lab by WPRS.

WPRS has also partnered with South West Healthcare to provide RACS-accredited Surgical Education and Training for Plastic Surgery registrars.

According to Dr Toma, “the presence of specialist surgeons has also enhanced workforce development, attracting trainees and junior doctors.”

The practice’s unaccredited registrar program has achieved notable success, with eight of its first ten registrars progressing to the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery training program.

As the practice expanded, its organisational structure evolved into a sophisticated regional health enterprise. Dr Toma established a leadership hub, comprising of himself, a CEO, a clinical lead and a finance lead. There are plans to add a human-resources lead to meet the demands of the growing organisation. This is supported by a broader administrative and clinical workforce, including front-of-house staff, secretaries and allied health professionals.

WPRS continues to work closely with Southwest Healthcare to co-invest in advanced technology and infrastructure. This includes SPY PHI imaging systems, microscopes and microsurgical equipment and Vaser Liposuction.

It operates a multidisciplinary, collaborative model of care. Integrating plastic surgery, dermatology, breast surgery, hand surgery, hand therapy (occupational therapist and physiotherapists) and cosmetic medicine. Skin cancer surgery remains a major component of practice activity, which Dr Toma describes as “a big bread and butter service”.

The impact on regional healthcare has been significant. Patients now experience shorter waiting times for skin cancer surgery, improved access to trauma management – and the benefits of receiving specialist care closer to home. The service has also strengthened regional surgical capability and reduced reliance on metropolitan centres.

As Dr Toma notes, “WPRS has become a recognised regional hub for plastic and reconstructive surgery, with a reputation for high quality care and strong community trust”.

Building and maintaining a successful regional practice has required far more than clinical expertise alone.

“You need to be proactive and able to have difficult conversations,” Dr Toma says. “Liaise with local politicians and hospital executives as needed to promote your case … selective fights as needed.”

Relationships with hospital executives, emergency departments, general practitioners and community leaders have been central to the practice’s development. Referral pathways require constant attention.

“GP referrals are important,” Dr Toma says. “GP’s can change rapidly in a rural context.”

Recruitment remains an ongoing challenge, as does maintaining services across multiple locations. Other realities include theatre capacity constraints, travel between sites, seasonal fluctuations in demand and the administrative complexity of operating across two state health systems.

Despite these challenges, regional practice offers opportunities that can be difficult to find in metropolitan centres. Surgeons may enjoy greater autonomy, closer relationships with patients and hospitals, and the ability to directly influence local healthcare services.

It has been more than a decade since WPRS opened its doors. WPRS demonstrates all that can be achieved when a service is built around genuine community need. It also serves as a reminder that success in regional practice depends on much more than surgical skill. Persistence, adaptability and a long-term commitment to the local community are equally important.

Download the full report as PDF.

For more information contact Robert Toma

PH: 0402 459 443

Email: info@wprs.net.au

Website: https://wprs.net.au/