Health ministers to push new laws restricting cosmetic cowboys

Doctors with no surgical training are to be restricted from using the title cosmetic surgeon as health ministers crack down on cowboy operators.

Federal and state health ministers have unanimously agreed to push legislative changes that would bolster ­cosmetic surgery patient safety.

Doctors with no surgical training will be restricted from using the title cosmetic surgeon as health ministers crack down on cowboy operators.

All health ministers also agreed to changes that would provide for stricter regulation of the facilities at which cosmetic surgery can be performed. Doctors will also be banned from using patient testimonials to advertising cosmetic surgery.

The ministers met on Friday and unanimously agreed to pursue legislative changes that would specify that anyone practising cosmetic surgery must have accredited surgical training, Changes to the National Law that governs health regulation is necessary to restrict the use of the title “surgeon” to only those who have completed ­accredited surgical training.

Cosmetic surgery is not recognised as a medical speciality ­because it has no therapeutic purpose, meaning regulators are currently powerless to restrict who can call themselves a cosmetic surgeon. There is no recognised qualification for cosmetic surgeons or minimum standards for education and training.

However, under changes long sought by doctors, cosmetic surgeons will be set to be required to have undertaken six years of Australian Medical Council-accredited surgical training, which is currently provided by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.

Doctors with no surgical training are currently performing complex surgeries including breast aug­mentation, bottom lifts, and tummy tucks. There have been a string of scandals exposed in the past year, particularly involving cosmetic surgeon Daniel Lanzer and Cosmos Clinics. Several class actions are under way.

Dr Daniel Lanzer.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the reforms would put an end to a situation long allowed to continue in which patients were misled about the qualifications of some doctors performing complex procedures with no surgical training,

“These cosmetic cowboys have been riding unchecked for years, and the previous Government simply didn’t act to clean up an industry that has come to resemble the Wild West,“ Mr Butler said. “Australians deserve to have confidence in the safety and quality of the cosmetic surgery industry and these changes will provide that.”

Work to amend the national law to restrict the title of surgeon to those with proper surgical training is expected to begin immediately.

The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons welcomed the planned changes.

“This is a commendable step that will eliminate the confusion faced by patients and add a layer of safety when it comes to choosing a surgeon,” said RACS president Sally Langley. “Too often patients undergo surgery under the false assumption about the standard of training of the person carrying out the surgery. Closing this loophole that allowed unscrupulous doctors to take advantage of patients is the right thing to do.”

President of the Australian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons Rob Sheen said the reform would save lives. “This is long awaited common sense, change we have been calling for, for years,” Dr Sheen said. “I hope this brings some comfort to the huge numbers of patients who have suffered the most devastatingly appalling life altering damage at the hands of cosmetic surgeons.

“These changes, along with a victim hotline and ban on testimonials are a big first step in starting to repair what the regulator has known about and tolerated for years.”

At Friday’s meeting, health ministers also considered the recommendations of a review published this week by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, which is beefing up its regulation of cosmetic surgeons. AHPRA’s plan to bestow an area of practice ­“endorsement” on approved cosmetic surgeons who would be ­included on a public register will go ahead alongside the changes to the national law.

AHPRA and the Medical Board of Australia said they “welcome the strong decisions from Australia’s Health Ministers to make cosmetic surgery safer”.