Nadine Dilong A change years in the making.
Only specialist surgeons will be able to call themselves ‘surgeon’ under new legislation to restrict the use of the title by registered medical practitioners. This comes as a result of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (Surgeons) Amendment Bill, which just passed in the Queensland Parliament.
The change means that a medical practitioner will only be able to use the title ‘surgeon’ if they are registered in one of the recognised specialties of surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology or ophthalmology.
The bill legally protects the title ‘surgeon’ from being used by any doctor without the necessary qualifications and training. Before this, any registered medical practitioner could call themselves a ‘surgeon’, even if they were not registered in a surgical speciality or had not completed specialist training in surgery.
It’s a move welcomed by the Medical Board of Australia (MBA) and the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra). This key reform supports the regulator’s suite of changes to clean up the cosmetic surgery industry in Australia and better protects patients considering cosmetic surgery.
“This is good for patient safety and what patients asked for. It will make sure that when a medical practitioner uses the word surgeon, it means something very specific about their skills and qualifications,” Dr Anne Tonkin AO, Chair of the Medical Board of Australia, said.
This is a win for the public and will remove a lot of confusion when patients are making choices about cosmetic surgery.
Ahpra CEO, Martin Fletcher
The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) welcomes the National Law Amendment, too. Nicola Dean, President, ASPS said: “We welcome Minister Fentiman’s announcement and are 100 per cent supportive of the new ruling. Restricting the use of the title ‘surgeon’ is vital for patient safety, so that there is transparency regarding the actual training and qualifications of practitioners.”
Practitioners who use the title without having completed the appropriate accredited surgical training will face up to three years in prison and a $60,000 fine. The Australian Health Practitioners Regulation Agency is also moving to introduce stronger laws around advertising and the use of online influencers and brand ambassadors to promote cosmetic procedures.
Other measures being taken to better regulate the cosmetic surgery industry include new licensing standards for private facilities and establishing a credentialing system to endorse qualified providers.
Australians who are considering cosmetic surgery can check a practitioners’ qualifications via the AHPRA or ASPS websites and make the most informed choice possible.
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