NEW COSMETIC PLASTIC SURGERY BOARD CERTIFICATION FOR ELIGIBLE SPECIALIST PLASTIC SURGEONS New Board aims to address lack of consumer trust and confidence choosing qualified surgeons
With
Dr Scott Ingram, Specialist Plastic Surgeon, Taringa, Queensland &
Past-President and Current Board Member,
The Australasian Society of Aesthetic Plastics Surgeons (ASAPS)
Australian Health Journal segment
Filmed in Brisbane | March 2025
The newly established Australian and New Zealand Board of Cosmetic Plastic Surgery (ANZBCPS) has highlighted a concerning lack of confidence among cosmetic surgery patients in selecting qualified surgeons based on available online information. A January 2025 survey showed that 58% of respondents faced difficulties in finding the right surgeon, with 44% expressing mistrust in online resources. Furthermore, 27% were unsure about who is legally permitted to perform cosmetic surgery in Australia.
In response to these challenges, the ANZBCPS has introduced the Board Certified Program to ensure patients have access to trustworthy information about qualified surgeons. Participating surgeons may use the title “ANZBCPS Board Certified,” indicating they meet stringent quality and safety standards, and adhere to the continuing professional development (CPD) requirements set by AHPRA.
Eligibility criteria for ANZBCPS Board Certified surgeon:
- Successfully awarded the FRACS (Fellow of Royal Australasian College of Surgeons) following accredited plastic surgery training
- Registered as a specialist in the recognised speciality of plastic surgery by the
- AHPRA (Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency) Regulation or the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ)
- Membership of good standing on ASAPS or ASPS or NZAPS.
- Involved in the practice of cosmetic surgery
- Complete the CPD of Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS).
- Nominate RACS as CPD home.
- Complete cosmetic surgery specific CPD as specified by the board
The program aims to help the public easily identify qualified cosmetic plastic surgeons committed to ethical practices and continuous training. Patients can search for certified surgeons through the official ANZBCPS website, ensuring that selected professionals are registered specialists with the necessary qualifications.
The ANZBCPS certification process ensures that surgeons maintain active practices in cosmetic surgery while complying with regulations, thereby fostering ongoing education and improvement. This initiative provides patients with confidence and peace of mind when choosing a cosmetic plastic surgeon, ultimately aiming to improve standards and trust within the field of cosmetic surgery.
Source: Adapted from media release (supplied)
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Harnessing the skillset and availability of the nation’s Exercise Physiologists and Scientists
Katie Lyndon MBA, BAppSci, ESSAF, FACHSM, CHE, AEP, AES, GAICD, CHIA, is an allied health professional and executive leader with nearly two decades of experience spanning executive leadership, delivery of strategic programs across the health system and clinical care.
As CEO of Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA), Katie brings a unique blend of frontline experience and strategic vision to advance the profession and advocate for evidence-based exercise in preventive health and chronic disease management. Her long-standing commitment to ESSA includes serving as Board Vice President, Policy and Advocacy Manager, Standards Council member and ESSA Fellow.
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Imperatives for women diagnosed with ovarian cancer
Professor Clare Scott, a pioneering clinician scientist at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Melbourne, also serves as a medical oncologist at Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and the Royal Women’s Hospital.
Her comprehensive training in medical oncology has fuelled her specialisation in gynaecological cancer, combining rigorous research with clinical trials to improve patient outcomes. With over a decade of involvement in ANZGOG, Australia’s foremost gynaecologic cancer research organisation, she is deeply committed to advancing research and saving lives.
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HIGHLIGHTS The power of social determinants of health, panel discussion
Clinicians and consumers know only too well that life circumstances such as poor housing, income and food insecurity can have a negative impact on health outcomes. Conversely, participation in community activities, social connection and access to nature parks and leisure facilities can help maintain health and wellbeing.
More recent phenomena in public health have also focused us on the health and social care connection. Stress factors such as the sudden loss of employment and social interaction, moving to remote work or schooling, and the impacts of sudden, localised COVID-19 ‘lockdowns’ to prevent further outbreaks were triggers of increased psychological distress.
And loneliness is being described as our latest epidemic with chronic loneliness inked to a myriad of health problems and earlier death. A recent report found one in four Australians say they feel persistently lonely, and that loneliness costs $2.7 bn a year in health costs alone.
