Plastic Surgery Patients Will Require Psychological Screening

People seeking cosmetic surgery will be referred to a GP and assessed for underlying psychological conditions which could make them unsuitable for surgery.

The Medical Board of Australia (MBA) rules will come into effect from July 1, and will require any patient seeking surgeries like facelifts, nose jobs, breast implants and even Botox injections to see their GP.

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MBA said the “new measure adds a layer of protection for patients, who will in future be able to discuss their motivation for cosmetic surgery with their GP who has the best knowledge of their medical history and can share this with the doctor being referred to.”

The cosmetic surgeon will then use a “validated psychological screening tool” to evaluate the patient and their reasoning for seeking cosmetic surgery.

It will also ensure the patient’s expectations of the surgery’s outcome is realistic.

“If screening indicates the patient has significant underlying psychological issues which may make them an unsuitable candidate for the cosmetic surgery, they must be referred for evaluation to a psychologist, psychiatrist or GP,” the Medical Board rules state.

The tough changes come after an independent review commissioned by the Medical Board “following media reports that revealed serious patient safety concerns including hygiene breaches, poor patient care, unsatisfactory surgical outcomes, and aggressive and inappropriate advertising.”

Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons president, Adelaide-based Dr Tim Edwards told the Herald Sun he partly welcomed the GP referral move but said plastic surgeons already carefully evaluated their patients’ mental health before conducting any surgery.

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