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Consultation question builder

A printable list of questions for a cosmetic consultation, built from the information the Medical Board of Australia says a doctor must give before you consent.

Build your list

Choose what applies. The list updates as you go.

The surgery

  • What does the surgery involve, including the type of anaesthesia and pain management? (guideline 5.1.1)
  • Where will the surgery be performed? (guideline 5.1.1)
  • Is the surgery new or experimental? (guideline 5.1.1)
  • What is the range of possible outcomes, in the short and long term? (guideline 5.1.1)
  • What are the risks and possible complications, in the short and long term? (guideline 5.1.1)
  • What risks are specific to me, including any effect of my existing medical conditions? (guideline 5.1.1)
  • Might I need further treatment or revision surgery, in the short or long term? (guideline 5.1.1)
  • What are the recovery times and the care needed during recovery? (guideline 5.1.1)

The practitioner

  • What is your registration type: general or specialist registration? If specialist, in which specialty and field? (guideline 5.1.2)
  • Do you hold an endorsement for cosmetic surgery on your registration? (guideline 5.1.2)
  • What are your qualifications, training and experience in this procedure? (guideline 5.1.2)
  • Which other practitioners will be involved in the surgery? (guideline 5.1.2)

Costs

  • What is the total cost? (guideline 5.1.3)
  • What do any implants or other devices cost? (guideline 5.1.3)
  • What are the fees of other doctors, such as an assistant surgeon and the anaesthetist? (guideline 5.1.3)
  • What are the facility costs: theatre fees and the hospital or day procedure centre? (guideline 5.1.3)
  • What deposits and payments are required, and when? (guideline 5.1.3)
  • Can a deposit be refunded, and on what terms? (guideline 5.1.3)
  • What will follow-up care cost, including garments or devices to support recovery? (guideline 5.1.3)
  • What might allied health or other care after surgery cost? (guideline 5.1.3)
  • What might revision or additional treatment cost? (guideline 5.1.3)
  • Is any of this covered by Medicare? (The guideline requires the doctor to say cosmetic surgery is not.) (guideline 5.1.3)

Photos and videos

  • Will photos or videos be taken, and for what purpose: my medical record only, or advertising? (guideline 5.3)
  • Where will images be stored, who can see them, and can I withdraw consent to their use? (guideline 5.3)

Where the questions come from

Section 5 of the Medical Board of Australia’s guidelines for cosmetic surgery and procedures lists what the doctor performing a procedure, or prescribing a cosmetic injectable, must explain verbally and in writing before consent: the procedure, the practitioner, and the costs. Each question above is one item from those lists, with its guideline number. The guidelines apply to medical practitioners; Ahpra’s separate guidelines cover nurses and other registered practitioners who perform non-surgical procedures.