Canberra Plastic Surgery Consultation Checklist

Dr Scott J Turner | Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS) | Sydney

A plastic surgery consultation isn’t a booking appointment. It’s a clinical assessment. Where medical history gets discussed. Anatomy examined. Goals translated into what’s surgically realistic. Risks explained. Alternatives considered. Recovery and follow-up planned. The decision to proceed (or not) gets made afterwards, with at least seven days between informed consent and any deposit being paid.

For Canberra and ACT patients, the consultation is also where the cross-city pathway gets clarified. What happens at the Campbell clinic. What happens in Sydney. What happens at follow-up. How the practice coordinates between the two locations.

This guide is the preparation playbook. What to read before booking. What to bring. What to ask. How the regulated cosmetic surgery pathway works under current AHPRA guidelines. Plus the Canberra-specific recovery and follow-up planning that should be discussed before surgery is scheduled.

If you’re still deciding which procedure page is most relevant, start with the Canberra clinic overview, then use this checklist to prepare for the appointment. Dr Scott J Turner is a Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS) consulting at the Campbell clinic in Canberra and at Sydney clinics in Bondi Junction and Manly.

Preparing for a Canberra plastic surgery consultation? The Canberra clinic overview is the right starting point if you haven’t yet identified which procedure page matches your concern. Then use this checklist to prepare. The more prepared you arrive, the more useful the appointment.

Quick checklist summary

The full preparation pathway, at a glance:

Step 1: Choose the right procedure page before consultation

Reading the relevant procedure page before consultation helps you ask better questions. You don’t need to decide on a surgical plan in advance. You just need a basic understanding of the procedure you’re considering, so the consultation conversation starts at a useful level.

If you’re not sure which page matches your concern, the Canberra clinic overview lists the full procedure scope and is the broader starting point.

Step 2: Arrange your GP referral

A GP referral is required for cosmetic surgery consultation under AHPRA guidelines effective 1 July 2023. Without it, the consultation can’t proceed.

The referral preferably comes from your usual GP, or another independent GP or eligible medical specialist. It’s not a recommendation that you should have surgery. It’s not a guarantee of suitability. It provides medical history. It supports continuity of care. And in some cases, it supports Medicare-rebate pathways where a functional MBS item applies.

Plan ahead. GP appointment availability varies. Sorting the referral early avoids delays at booking.

Step 3: Prepare your medical history

The more complete your medical history, the more useful the consultation. Surgical planning depends on more than anatomy and goals. Health status. Medications. Smoking and vaping. Previous procedures. Anaesthetic history. Recovery risk factors. All of these affect what’s appropriate.

Worth bringing to consultation:

• Current medications, including blood thinners, supplements, and hormone therapy
• Allergies and previous reactions to anaesthesia
• Past surgery and any complications
• Smoking, vaping, and nicotine use (current and historical)
• Alcohol and recreational drug use where relevant
• Medical conditions: diabetes, hypertension, autoimmune disease, bleeding disorders, clotting history
• Pregnancy, breastfeeding, or recent significant weight change where relevant
• Mental health history where relevant to decision-making and recovery
• Previous cosmetic surgery or non-surgical treatments
• Imaging, pathology, ophthalmology, sleep, breathing, or specialist reports relevant to the procedure

Step 4: Clarify your goals without designing the operation yourself

Bring reference images if they help explain what you’re trying to communicate. The purpose is direction, not replication. Anatomy varies. What’s surgically realistic for one patient may not be for another. A useful consultation translates your goals into what may be appropriate for your own anatomy, health, and recovery capacity.

Worth thinking about before consultation:

• What concerns you most, in your own words
• How long you’ve been considering the procedure
• What’s prompted the timing
• What outcome would feel like a success
• What outcome would feel disappointing
• Whether you’re considering one procedure, or multiple
• Whether you’ve had non-surgical treatments and what the results were

The Medical Board guidelines specifically require the surgeon to discuss alternatives, including treatment by other practitioners and the option of not having surgery. A good consultation includes the conversation about whether to proceed at all.

What to bring to your Canberra consultation

A simple checklist for the day:

• GP referral
• Medication list, including supplements
• Allergy and anaesthetic history
• Relevant imaging, test results, or specialist letters
• Previous surgery details, if relevant
• Questions written down in advance
• Reference images, if useful for explaining goals
• A support person, if you’d like help remembering information

The more organised your information, the more useful the consultation time.

Questions worth asking at consultation

The consultation is structured around clinical assessment, but it’s also a two-way conversation. Worth coming with questions prepared.

About qualifications and experience

• Are you a Specialist Plastic Surgeon with FRACS in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery?
• Are you registered with AHPRA as a specialist in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery?
• How often do you perform this specific procedure?
• What proportion of your practice involves this type of surgery?
• Where do you perform the procedure?
• Do you have hospital admitting rights at the surgical facility?

For deeper qualification verification, see FRACS vs Cosmetic Surgeon in Canberra. For the broader surgeon-selection conversation, see Choosing a Plastic Surgeon in Canberra.

About the procedure

• Am I a suitable candidate for this procedure?
• What are you seeing anatomically that supports or limits surgery?
• What alternatives should I consider?
• What would make you advise against surgery?
• What result is realistic? What result isn’t?
• What are the common risks?
• What are the serious but uncommon risks?
• What is the recovery timeline?
• What might require revision or further treatment?
• What happens if I decide not to proceed?

About hospital, anaesthesia, and safety

• Where will surgery be performed, and is the facility accredited?
• Will it be day surgery, or overnight admission?
• Who provides anaesthesia, and what monitoring is used?
• What emergency arrangements are in place?
• How is discharge timing decided?
• How long should I stay in Sydney before returning to Canberra?

For travel logistics specifically, see Travelling from Canberra for Plastic Surgery.

About cost and financial consent

• What is the total estimated cost?
• What’s included? What’s excluded?
• Are surgeon fees, anaesthetist fees, hospital fees, and garments included?
• Is a Medicare rebate possible for any part of the procedure?
• When is payment required, and when can a deposit be paid?
• What’s refundable if I decide not to proceed?
• What additional costs may apply for revision, complications, or extra follow-up?

Informed financial consent under the cosmetic surgery guidelines includes total cost, deposits, payment timing, refund policy, follow-up costs, allied health or post-operative care costs where relevant, and possible further costs for revision or additional treatment.

The two-consultation and cooling-off pathway

A first consultation isn’t where surgery gets booked. The current AHPRA pathway specifically prevents that.

Required steps under Medical Board and AHPRA cosmetic surgery guidelines (July 2023):

• At least two pre-operative consultations with the operating surgeon. At least one in person.
• No consent at the first consultation. Consent forms cannot be requested at that visit.
• Cooling-off period of at least seven days after the second consultation and informed consent before surgery can be booked or a deposit paid.

Minimum total timeline from first consultation to surgery booking: 14 days. The pathway is designed to support considered decision-making. The two-week minimum is a feature, not a delay.

The surgeon also screens for body dysmorphic disorder and other relevant psychological factors using a validated tool. Further independent psychological assessment may be recommended where clinically indicated.

Plan recovery and follow-up before booking

For Canberra patients, recovery planning isn’t an afterthought. The cross-city pathway needs to be clarified before surgery is scheduled, not after.

Worth discussing at consultation:

• How long should I stay in Sydney after surgery?
• When can I return to Canberra?
• Can follow-up appointments occur at the Campbell clinic?
• Which reviews require Sydney attendance?
• Is telehealth appropriate for any follow-up?
• Who do I call after hours?
• What symptoms should prompt urgent contact?
• When can I drive?
• When can I return to work?
• What support person do I need at home?
• What supplies should I prepare before travelling?

Sydney stay duration varies significantly by procedure. A short eyelid procedure and an abdominoplasty have very different recovery and travel profiles. The right plan depends on the operation, anaesthetic, mobility, pain control, support at home, and early review needs.

Red flags during consultation

Most consultations are professional and thorough. Some aren’t. Worth being cautious about:

• You’re pressured to book quickly
• You’re asked to pay a deposit before the required process is complete
• Consent is requested at the first consultation
• The surgeon doesn’t examine you properly
• Risks are minimised
• You aren’t told about alternatives or the option of not having surgery
• Facility details are vague: which hospital, which anaesthetist, what level of care
• You can’t get a clear answer about follow-up or complication management
• Most of the consultation is handled by a sales consultant or coordinator
• You’re promised a specific result

Consent must not be requested at the first consultation. No money should be payable until after the cooling-off period, except for the consultation fee itself. These are regulatory requirements, not practice preferences.

Where to go from here

Start with the Canberra clinic overview for the full procedure scope and pathway summary.

Read the relevant procedure page from the table above before consultation.

For broader trust-stage reading:

• Choosing a Plastic Surgeon in Canberra, consultation standards and red flags
• FRACS vs Cosmetic Surgeon in Canberra, qualification verification mechanics
• Travelling from Canberra for Plastic Surgery, Sydney travel and accommodation logistics

To arrange a consultation, contact the practice online or call 1300 437 758. A GP referral is required before any cosmetic surgery consultation. Consultations at the Campbell clinic are held on Fridays by appointment.

Canberra Clinic: G24/6 Provan Street, Campbell ACT 2612 Email: [email protected] Consultations: Fridays by appointment

The practice doesn’t endorse, partner with, or recommend any specific loan providers or BNPL services.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a GP referral before a plastic surgery consultation in Canberra?

Yes. From 1 July 2023, all patients seeking cosmetic surgery require a referral, preferably from their usual GP or another independent GP or eligible specialist, before the cosmetic surgery consultation. Arrange the referral before booking your Canberra consultation. The referral itself isn’t a recommendation that you should have surgery; it provides relevant medical history and supports continuity of care.

What should I bring to a Canberra plastic surgery consultation?

Bring your GP referral, a current medication list (including supplements), allergy and anaesthetic history, previous surgery details, relevant imaging or test results, written questions, and any reference images that help explain your goals. A support person can also be helpful for remembering information discussed at the appointment.

Can I book surgery after the first consultation?

No. Cosmetic surgery requires at least two pre-operative consultations with the operating surgeon, with at least one in person. Consent forms can’t be requested at the first consultation. A cooling-off period of at least seven days applies after the second consultation and informed consent before surgery can be booked or a deposit paid. Minimum total timeline from first consultation to surgery booking is 14 days.

What questions should I ask the plastic surgeon at consultation?

Ask about FRACS qualification and AHPRA specialist registration in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, procedure-specific experience, where surgery is performed and facility accreditation, who provides anaesthesia, what risks and complications apply to your anatomy and health history, the recovery timeline, follow-up arrangements, total cost and what’s included or excluded, and what happens if revision or further treatment is needed.

Is the Canberra consultation the same as agreeing to surgery?

No. Consultation is an assessment and information-gathering appointment. You can decide not to proceed, seek a second opinion, or take more time before any decision. The regulatory pathway specifically supports considered decision-making rather than same-day commitment, which is why two consultations and a cooling-off period are required before surgery can be booked.