A number of peak surgical, medical and regulatory organisations have released public statements supporting the new guidelines issued by Ahpra for non-surgical cosmetic procedures. The updated regulations introduce tighter rules around training, advertising, prescribing and patient consultation, with the aim of improving safety and standards across the sector.
Here’s how Australia’s leading professional bodies have responded:
Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS)
The ASPS welcomed the new guidelines, stating they would help align non-surgical cosmetic procedures with surgical standards in this rapidly growing industry.
Dr David Morgan, President of ASPS, said the introduction of these guidelines is a significant step forward in ensuring that all cosmetic procedures, whether surgical or non-surgical, adhere to the highest standards of patient care.
‘ASPS has long advocated for stronger regulations to protect individuals seeking cosmetic enhancements from unqualified and unregulated providers,’ he said.
‘We have been deeply concerned about the risks associated with under-qualified practitioners undertaking non-surgical procedures, including dermal fillers and injectables on unsuspecting patients. These treatments involve prescription-only medicines and medical devices that should only be administered by qualified and experienced healthcare professionals in safe and sterile environments. However, in the past an increasing number of unregulated practitioners have downplayed the potential complications of these procedures, putting patient safety at risk.
“While Ahpra has established stringent guidelines for medical practitioners, including ASPS members, similar regulations for other health practitioners offering these services have been lacking. The release of these new guidelines will help to address this gap and ensure greater protection for patients seeking non-surgical cosmetic treatments.’
Read the full statement here: https://plasticsurgery.org.au/asps-welcomes-guidelines-for-non-surgical-practitioners/
Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS)
RACS welcomed the guidelines, calling them ‘a critical step’ in strengthening public protection and creating greater consistency amongst registered healthcare practitioners.
Professor Owen Ung, RACS President, says these guidelines extend the important ongoing work to better regulate the cosmetic procedures industry:
‘This is a positive step toward closing regulatory gaps in cosmetic care. As the professional standard setting body for surgery in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand, RACS has long called for stronger safeguards in the cosmetic sector…
‘We support all efforts that help patients make informed choices and ensure they receive care from appropriately trained, qualified, and professionally accountable practitioners.
‘These new guidelines are a critical step in lifting standards, improving accountability and providing greater transparency and consistency across the industry.’
Read the full statement here: https://www.surgeons.org/News/News/RACS-supports-extension-of-safety-standards-to-non-surgical-cosmetic-practitioners
Australasian College of Cosmetic Surgery and Medicine (ACCSM)
The ACCSM welcomed Ahpra’s guidelines covering the provision of what is now classified higher risk non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
In a media release on 3 June 2025, the College said:
‘These guidelines clearly demonstrate that all health practitioners must uphold the highest ethical and professional standards in this area of medicine leading to quality care all patients deserve.
‘Telehealth consultations, often reported as short as 52 seconds will clearly no longer be viable under these new guidelines.
‘The health practitioners that do not adhere to these guidelines would be putting their registration at risk.’
Read the full statement here: https://www.accsm.org.au/download/?id=media&doc=318
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA)
NMBA Chair Adjunct Professor Veronica Casey AM said the safety of the Australian public is paramount. ‘These types of procedures are undertaken every day and can have serious consequences if not done correctly’, she said.
‘No practitioner should put their bottom line ahead of patient welfare, and these guidelines place the focus squarely on the safety of those in their care.’
The NMBA website states:
‘The new protections highlight that many practitioners need more than just the foundational qualifications included in their initial training before they can safely perform non-surgical procedures like cosmetic injections. Further training or education will be necessary for those practitioners wanting to expand their scope of practice. Nurses will also be required to complete a set period of practice before expanding their scope to include non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
‘While cosmetic procedures remain out of scope for many practitioners, the guidelines will now apply to all regulated professions, futureproofing those that may join the lucrative cosmetic industry.
‘The new practice guidelines bring all registered health practitioners in line with medical practitioners, who already have their own guidelines. They also remind practitioners of their obligation to put patient welfare first and foremost with the prescriber remaining responsible for patient care. The guidelines build on the safeguards put in place by the Medical Board of Australia in 2023 and replace the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia’s Position statement: nurses and cosmetic medical procedures.’
Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (ASAPS)
ASAPS welcomed the call by Ahpra for the requirement of appropriate education, training, experience and ongoing education for non-surgical cosmetic practice, but said a critical area for urgent improvement is continuing professional development (CPD).
In a position stament on 4 June 2025, ASAPS noted:
‘Practitioners who perform cosmetic injectable procedures should undertake regular, evidence-based training updates that are specific to cosmetic medicine and that include a strong emphasis on ethical practice. CPD is a formal indicator that a healthcare practitioner is staying up to date with evolving clinical standards, products, and innovations. These new guidelines now stipulate that CPD should be in the area of their practice (i.e. cosmetic medicine), but alarmingly, there is no minimum quality standard for the CPD educational activity and no plan for enforcement.
‘Cosmetic non-surgical treatments are no different to any other medical treatments – they should be provided and undertaken with meticulous clinical practice and the same clinical precautions. The focus of these treatments is to provide good healthcare, minimisation of risks, and informed consent to facilitate true patient autonomy, placing patient safety as the paramount priority.’
ASAPS president Dr Lily Vrtik told The Medical Republic there was a lack of clarity around the specific training that cosmetic injectable practitioners should receive.
‘I think they’ve tried to address the standardisation of training by saying the specifics of what’s required, but what is interesting is that they haven’t specified who can provide that training,’ she said.
‘…A lot of that training is provided by the industry … I think it’s important for a standardised form of training and education.’
Read the full statement here: https://aestheticplasticsurgeons.org.au/news/asaps-position-statement-on-ahpras-new-guidelines-for-non-surgical-cosmetic-practitioners/
Australasian Academy of Cosmetic Dermal Science (AACDS)
The AACDS says Ahpra’s newly released guidelines are a positive step forward, setting higher standards for practitioners across the board and acknowledging that the quality of education and training in this space must have depth and rigour to support patient safety.
Kylie Fahey, CEO, AACDS, said, ‘Cosmetic injectable treatments carry risk and they require the same depth of knowledge, ethical judgment and clinical rigour as any other area of medical practice. So it makes sense that efforts to improve industry standards and safety begin during training.
‘The new Ahpra guidelines validate that accredited training like ours is key to building future capacity and standards of our practitioners. We look forward to supporting these educational changes as an opportunity to refine and improve this growing industry, because success in this industry is shared.’
Read Kylie Fahey’s OpEd here: https://www.aacds.edu.au/blog/new-ahpra-cosmetic-guidelines/
