Founded in 1970, the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons Inc (ASPS) is the peak body for Specialist Plastic Surgeons (both reconstructive and cosmetic). Its mission is to provide the highest quality plastic surgery care to all Australians.

MEDIARELEASE–Tuesday1stMay

Plastic surgeons welcome NSW Government new cosmetic surgeryregulationsasa‘goodstart’towardsincreasingpublicsafety

TheAustralianSocietyofPlasticSurgeons(ASPS)welcomesnewrecommendationsfromNSWHealthtostrengthenexistingregulationssurroundingcosmeticprocedures.NinerecommendationsarecontainedintheNSWHealthReportwhichfollowedareviewannouncedbyNSWHealthMinister,BradHazzard,followingthedeathofawomanwhounderwentabreastaugmentationprocedureataSydneybeautyclinic.Therecommendationswhichhavealreadybeen,orareintheprocessofbeingimplementedincluding:

•Thecreationofanewoffenceforapersonsuchasamedicalpractitionertoperformcertainsurgicalcosmeticproceduresinanunlicensedprivatehealthfacility;

•Tighterregulationsfortheprescribing,use,storage,access,andadministrationofmedicinescommonlyusedincosmeticprocedures;

•Additionalregulationsonextremebodymodificationprocedures,suchassub-dermalimplantsortonguesplitting,thatarecarriedoutbynon-medicalpractitioners.

“TheserecommendationsrepresentagoodstarttowardsprotectingpublicsafetyinNSWforthosewhoseekcosmeticsurgeryandwewelcomethefacttheGovernmenthastakenaction,”saysASPSPresident,ProfessorMarkAshton.

“With the growing number of people undergoing cosmetic surgery we are seeing an increasingnumber of injuries, complications and deaths occurring where procedures are performed byunqualified practitioners in unlicensed premises. For this reason the Australian Society of PlasticSurgeonshasforsomeyearscalledongovernmentsaroundthecountrytoenactuniformlegislationtoregulatetheindustry,”saysASPSPresident,ProfessorMarkAshton.

“While we are pleased the NSW Government is taking action, we nonetheless believe therecommendations could be stronger still, and in particular we look forward to seeing furtherinformationregardingenforcementandpenaltiesinrelationtosomeoftherecommendations.

“Regulationsonlyeffectiveiftheyareadequatelypolicedandtherearegenuinedeterrentsforthosewhomightotherwisedothewrongthing.

“While the report acknowledges issues surrounding the use of the term “cosmetic surgeon” bypractitionerswhodonotholdregistration inaspecialistsurgical field, leadingtoconfusionamong

Founded in 1970, the Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons Inc (ASPS) is the peak body for Specialist Plastic Surgeons (both reconstructive and cosmetic). Its mission is to provide the highest quality plastic surgery care to all Australians.

consumers about the training and qualifications of practitioners performing cosmetic procedures,NSWHealthhas,disappointingly,failedtosupportanychangesatthisstage.

“We believe restriction of the use of the word ‘surgeon’ to those people who have completedspecialistsurgicaltrainingaccreditedbytheAustralianMedicalCouncilandareFellowsoftheRoyalAustralasianCollegeof Surgeonswould goa longway toeliminating confusionamong consumerswho are often ill-equipped to distinguish between the considerable range of people promotingthemselvesas‘cosmeticsurgeons’,”saysProfessorAshton.

ToreadtheNSWHealthReportvisit:www.health.nsw.gov.au/patients/cosmetic/Publications/review-cosmetic-procedures.pdf

Mediaenquiries:EdwinaGatenby,mobile:0402130254oredwina@maxicom.net.au