Dr Scott J Turner | Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS) | Sydney
Key Takeaways Your first consultation is an assessment and a conversation, not a sales appointment. You will need a valid GP referral to attend, a requirement in place across Australia since July 2023. Dr Turner will review your health, examine the area of concern, explain realistic options, risks and recovery, and answer your questions. No surgery is booked on the day, because a second consultation and a cooling-off period are required before proceeding. The consultation fee is $450.
The first consultation is where a vague idea becomes a real, informed decision, or sometimes the point where you decide surgery is not for you after all. Both outcomes are fine. Truly. The purpose of the appointment is not to talk you into anything. It is to give you accurate information about your situation, so that whatever you decide, you decide it knowing the facts.
This guide explains what to expect, what to bring, what it costs, and how the process works under the current rules. As a Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS) consulting in Sydney at Bondi Junction and Manly, my approach is unhurried and direct. You should leave understanding your options clearly, including the parts that are less comfortable to hear.
You will need a GP referral first
Before your consultation, you must have a valid referral from a GP. This is not a practice preference. It is the law. Since July 2023, a GP referral is a national requirement for cosmetic surgery, and I explain the wider framework in my guide to the new cosmetic surgery regulations.
The referral does two useful things. It brings your usual doctor into the decision, and it gives me a fuller picture of your health before we meet. If you are not sure how to arrange one, your GP can help, and our team can talk you through what is needed when you book.
Why the first consultation matters
A good consultation changes the quality of every decision that follows. Rush it, and problems surface later. Often too late to fix easily.
This is the appointment where the realistic version of your options is laid out, where risks are discussed honestly rather than glossed over, and where you can ask anything without feeling foolish. It is also where I work out whether surgery is the right answer for you at all. Sometimes it is not. And saying so is part of the job, not an afterthought.
What happens during your appointment
The appointment follows a clear shape, though there is plenty of room for your questions throughout.
I will take a thorough medical history, including your general health, medications, previous surgery and your reasons for considering a procedure. I will examine the area you are concerned about. Then we talk through what is realistically achievable, the technique that would suit you, the recovery involved, and the risks specific to your case. You will get clear information. Not a hard sell. If photographs are appropriate for planning, they are taken with your consent and kept confidential. We will also talk through the practical side, the likely recovery time, how long you might need away from work, and what the days and weeks after surgery realistically look like, because that detail often shapes the decision as much as the surgery itself. Bring your questions, and ask them. All of them. This is your time.
What if surgery is not the right answer?
Not every consultation ends with a surgical plan, and that is not a wasted appointment. Far from it.
Part of my job is to tell you when an operation is unlikely to give you what you are hoping for, when the timing is wrong, or when a non-surgical option, or simply doing nothing, is the more sensible path. Some patients are quietly relieved to hear it. Others are disappointed, which is completely understandable. Either way, you deserve an honest answer rather than a comfortable one. A surgeon who recommends surgery to everyone who walks through the door is not a surgeon to trust.
The two-consultation process and cooling-off period
Here is something many patients do not expect. You cannot decide on surgery in a single appointment. That is deliberate, and it is in your interest.
For cosmetic surgery, the rules require two separate consultations on different days, with the surgeon who will perform the operation. A cooling-off period of at least seven days then applies for adults before surgery can go ahead. The second consultation is where consent is confirmed once you have had time to absorb everything from the first. If at any stage you feel rushed, that is a red flag, and not something you will experience here. The structure exists to protect you, and I treat it that way.
What it costs
Cost transparency matters. So I will be plain about it.
The initial consultation fee is $450, payable at the time of your appointment. Whether any Medicare rebate applies depends on the reason for your visit, since purely cosmetic consultations are generally not rebatable, while some procedures with a medical indication may be. Our team can explain what applies to your situation when you book. If you decide to proceed after your second consultation, a deposit is required to secure your surgery, and you will be given clear written information about the full costs involved, including hospital and anaesthetist fees, before you commit to anything.
How to prepare for your consultation
A little preparation makes the appointment far more useful. None of it is complicated. A few minutes the night before is enough.
Bring your GP referral, a list of your current medications and doses, and a summary of your medical history, including any previous surgery. Write down your questions in advance, because it is easy to forget them in the moment. If it helps you explain your concern, bring reference photos, though the focus will be on you rather than on someone else’s result. Most importantly, come with an open mind about what is realistically achievable, because an honest conversation about expectations is worth more than any brochure. You are also welcome to bring a partner, family member or friend. A second set of ears genuinely helps, since it is easy to miss details while you are absorbing a great deal at once.
Questions worth asking your surgeon
You are interviewing me as much as I am assessing you, and you should. Good questions to ask any plastic surgeon include:
Are you a registered Specialist Plastic Surgeon, and can I verify that on the AHPRA register? How much experience do you have with this specific procedure? Where will my surgery be performed, and is the facility accredited? What are the risks, and how do you manage complications if they arise? And what is the full cost, including hospital and anaesthetist fees? A surgeon who welcomes these questions is one worth listening to. One who bristles at them is not.
After your consultation
You are not expected to decide anything on the spot, and I would be wary of any practice that pushed you to.
Take the information home. Sit with it. Talk it over with the people you trust. There is no clock running. If you want to proceed, the next step is your second consultation, where we confirm the plan and your consent, after which the cooling-off period applies. There is no pressure at any point, because a decision made under pressure is not informed consent, and informed consent is the whole point.
Booking your consultation
If you would like to arrange a first consultation, our team can talk you through the referral, the fee and the available appointment times at our Sydney clinics. We consult at Bondi Junction, at 39 Grosvenor Street, and at Manly, at Suite 504, Level 5, 39 East Esplanade. You can reach us on 1300 437 758, or contact us through the website.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a GP referral to see a plastic surgeon?
Yes. Since July 2023, a valid GP referral is required across Australia before any cosmetic surgery consultation. The referral brings your usual doctor into the decision and gives the surgeon a clearer picture of your health beforehand. If you are unsure how to arrange one, your GP can help, and the practice team can explain what is needed when you book your appointment.
How much does a consultation with Dr Turner cost?
The initial consultation fee is $450, payable at the time of your appointment. Whether a Medicare rebate applies depends on the reason for your visit, as purely cosmetic consultations are generally not rebatable, while some procedures with a genuine medical indication may attract a rebate. The team can explain what applies to your circumstances when you book.
What should I bring to my first consultation?
Bring your GP referral, a list of your current medications and doses, and a summary of your medical history, including any previous surgery. It also helps to write down your questions in advance, since they are easy to forget on the day. If reference photos help you explain your concern, bring them, though the consultation will focus on your own situation and what is realistically achievable for you.
Can I book surgery at my first consultation?
No, and this is by design. Cosmetic surgery requires two separate consultations on different days with the surgeon who will operate, followed by a cooling-off period of at least seven days for adults before surgery can proceed. Your first consultation is for assessment and information. The second is where consent is confirmed once you have had time to consider everything carefully.
Where does Dr Turner consult?
Dr Turner consults in Sydney at two locations: Bondi Junction, at 39 Grosvenor Street, and Manly, at Suite 504, Level 5, 39 East Esplanade. Surgery is performed at accredited private hospitals. You can arrange a consultation at either rooms by calling 1300 437 758 or contacting the practice through the website.
About Your Surgeon
Dr Scott J Turner is an AHPRA-registered Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS) consulting in Sydney (Manly and Bondi Junction), Brisbane and Canberra. His practice focuses on facial aesthetic surgery, rhinoplasty and cosmetic breast surgery, performed at accredited private hospitals in Sydney. Dr Turner emphasises individual patient assessment, surgical planning and clear information on risks, recovery and costs, holds Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
