New rules
to protect vulnerable and young patients.
These new
rules will apply to all medical practitioners (including plastic, cosmetic
surgeons and physicians) and have been developed to help protect consumers who
decide to undertake cosmetic procedures, with a particular focus on young
potential patients (aged 18 and under).
New rules
Some of
the new rules that will come into play from October 2016 include:
- A seven-day cooling off period for all adults before undertaking major procedures.
- A three-month cooling off period before major procedures for under-18s and a mandatory evaluation by a registered psychologist, general practitioner or psychiatrist.
- A seven-day cooling off period before minor procedures, such as injectables, for all under-18s and when needed an evaluation by a registered psychologist, general practitioner or psychiatrist.
- Medical practitioners will take responsibility for post-operative patient care and ensure that there are emergency facilities when they are using sedation, anaesthesia or analgesia.
- For patients seeking out minor procedures that involve the use of schedule 4 medications (such as Botox and injectables) there will be a mandatory consultation with a medical practitioner either in person or by video consultation.
- Medical practitioners will provide patients with detailed written information about costs.
"The
guidelines will help keep patients safe, without imposing an unreasonable
regulatory burden on practitioners," said Board Chair, Dr Joanna Flynn AM.
The Board
says the guidelines have come about after consulting widely with the
profession, the industry and the community about the best way to protect
consumers seeking cosmetic medical and surgical procedures from medical
practitioners.
Kate Browne
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