Ms Karen Cusack, the Victorian Health Complaints Commissioner supports the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency’s (AHPRA) ‘be safe first’ campaign in relation to the risks associated with cosmetic procedures. Cosmetic treatment is a very real concern for the Health Complaints Commissioner, with complaints about unregistered cosmetic treatment providers making up a large number of complaints to the office of the Health Complaints Commissioner.  Any campaign that helps consumers to make informed decisions before treatment is a great initiative.

The Health Complaints Commissioner recommends that if a person is considering undertaking a cosmetic treatment they should carefully make an informed decision and should ask the provider about:

  • their qualifications and experience
  • the products they use
  • the risks involved
  • if they have insurance in the instance something does go wrong
  • where the procedure will be carried out

If the person’s expectations for safe and ethical healthcare are not met, they are urged to contact the Health Complaints Commissioner’s office on 1300 582 113 or via the online complaint form at hcc.vic.gov.au."