Answer first: the most useful checks are ones you can make yourself before you book. Check that the person treating you is registered with Ahpra, find out who prescribes and how you will speak with them, make sure a consultation comes before any treatment, ask about risks, recovery and aftercare, and know how to raise a concern if you need to. It is reasonable to ask any clinic all of these questions.
1. Who will treat you, and are they registered?
Ask for the full name of the person who will assess you and the person who will treat you, and look both up on the Ahpra public register at ahpra.gov.au. Check that the registration is current, whether they are a nurse or a medical practitioner, and whether any conditions are listed. You can search the register by name or by registration number.
2. Who prescribes, and how will you speak with them?
Some cosmetic injectable treatments use prescription-only medicines. Only an authorised prescriber can prescribe them, and the person who gives the treatment is not always that prescriber. Under the national guidelines, the prescriber must consult you in person or by video each time they prescribe a cosmetic injectable. Prescribing by text, email or an online form alone is not acceptable practice. You can ask:
- Who is the prescriber, and will I see them in person or by video?
- Will I speak with them before any prescription-only treatment, each time it is needed?
If you are unsure how the prescribing works, ask for it to be explained before you go ahead.
3. Risks, recovery and aftercare
All cosmetic procedures carry risks. Complications are uncommon, but some can be serious and need prompt attention, such as product affecting a blood vessel. The guidelines expect the practitioner or prescriber to have arrangements for your care after the procedure, made in advance and explained to you. You can ask:
- What are the risks of this procedure, and what is the expected recovery?
- What aftercare will I need, and will I be given written aftercare instructions?
- Who do I contact if I notice a problem after treatment, including outside opening hours?
The risks and safety page lists warning signs to watch for after a cosmetic treatment and when to seek urgent care.
4. Does the consultation come before any treatment?
A first appointment should be an assessment. It should cover your health and medication history, why you are considering the treatment and what you expect from it, the risks and recovery, the alternatives including no treatment, and time to decide. The guides to what to expect at a first consultation and questions to ask before a consultation set out what that can look like.
You should not feel pressured to book or decide on the day, and you should be able to ask about risks as often as you need to.
5. Cooling-off and time to decide
Ask whether a cooling-off period applies to the procedure you are considering. Whether or not one does, you can take the information home, think it over and come back with more questions before you agree to anything.
6. Is consent a conversation or a signature?
You should understand what you are agreeing to before you sign, and you should be able to take the information home. You should be given a copy of the signed consent form, including the financial side. Signing a consent form does not remove a practitioner’s duty of care, and you can withdraw consent before treatment. The article on cosmetic treatment consent forms explains what a consent form usually covers.
7. Do you know how to complain if you need to?
Every patient has the right to raise a concern, first with the clinic and then, if it is not resolved, with an independent body. In Queensland that is the Office of the Health Ombudsman; in New South Wales, the Health Care Complaints Commission. Ahpra’s website explains how concerns about a registered practitioner are handled in each state. You can ask any clinic how its own complaints process works.
A short checklist to take with you
- [ ] Names and Ahpra registration of the assessor, the treater and the prescriber
- [ ] How and when I will speak with the prescriber
- [ ] Risks, recovery and alternatives explained before any booking
- [ ] Aftercare instructions, and who I contact if I have a concern after treatment
- [ ] Whether a cooling-off period applies, and time to think
- [ ] A written quote and a copy of my signed consent form
- [ ] How the clinic handles complaints
Frequently asked questions
What should I look for in a cosmetic clinic?
Registered practitioners you can check on the Ahpra public register, a clear explanation of who prescribes and how you will speak with them, a consultation before any treatment, clear information about risks, recovery and aftercare, and time to decide.
Can I check a cosmetic nurse’s registration?
Yes, on the Ahpra public register, by name or registration number.
Who do I complain to about a cosmetic clinic in Queensland?
Start with the clinic. If that does not resolve it, the Office of the Health Ombudsman takes complaints about health services in Queensland.