National Safety and Quality Cosmetic Surgery Standards
National Safety and Quality Cosmetic Surgery Standards
Accreditation for cosmetic surgery providers
Facilities delivering cosmetic surgery services in Australia are required to meet the National Safety and Quality Cosmetic Surgery Standards (Cosmetic Surgery Standards) – introduced by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission of ACSQHC) under the Australian Health Service Safety and Quality Accreditation (AHASSQA) Scheme.
Whether you operate a standalone day-procedure clinic or deliver cosmetic surgery services as part of a larger healthcare facility, the Standards are designed to ensure all providers across Australia meet nationally consistent clinical standards and their patients receive safe, high-quality care.
QIP is approved as an accrediting agency under the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care to accredit against the Cosmetic Surgery Standards and on hand to support your health service to identify your accreditation requirements and needs.
Applicability
The Cosmetic Surgery Standards are mandatory for all services where cosmetic surgery is performed. These new Cosmetic Surgery Standards offer clear, comprehensive guidelines to standardise and improve the quality of cosmetic surgery services nationwide.
The Commission has advised that: “Cosmetic surgery involves invasive procedures to alter the appearance, texture, structure, or position of normal bodily features. It differs fromnon-surgical cosmetic procedures and reconstructive surgeries performed for medical reasons.”
The Standards are person-centred and outline the systems, processes, and governance structures required to support consistently safe, high-quality clinical care.
They apply to invasive surgical procedures performed for cosmetic purposes, where the goal is to alter appearance, not to diagnose or treat a medical condition. Common procedures include breast augmentation, abdominoplasty, rhinoplasty, blepharoplasty, surgical facelifts, cosmetic genital surgery, liposuction and fat transfer.
The Standards do not apply to non-surgical procedures such as cosmetic injectables, thread lifts and cryolipolysis (fat freezing), mole removal, reconstructive surgery, gender affirmation surgery, or surgery that has a medical justification, even if it leads to improvements in appearance.
Needing Cosmetic Surgery Standards accreditation or not quite sure what your requirements are? Contact our team for personalised guidance and support.
Accreditation pathways
For organisations already assessed against the NSQHS Standards, an additional Cosmetic Surgery Module comprising five standards and 20 actions will apply.
Facilities not accredited under the NSQHS Standards will be assessed against the full suite of Cosmetic Surgery Standards, encompassing seven standards and 101 actions.
For more than 25 years QIP has supported healthcare providers of all sizes and types to achieve accreditation against a wide range of national standards. Our experienced and knowledgeable team delivers a streamlined service that allows you to focus on your patients, your team, and ongoing growth and quality improvements.
QIP understands the pressures and emerging issues health service organisations face. Our team is committed to supporting cosmetic surgery providers with expert guidance and a collaborative, step-by-step approach to accreditation.
The Cosmetic Surgery Standards
Cosmetic surgery facilities that are not currently accredited to the NSQHS Standards undertake full accreditation against the Cosmetic Surgery Standards, which include seven standards and 101 actions.
- Clinical Governance Standard (26 actions)
- Partnering with Consumers Standard (13 actions)
- Preventing and Controlling Infections Standard (18 actions)
- Medication Safety Standard (12 actions)
- Comprehensive Care Standard (12 actions)
- Communicating for Safety Standard (10 actions)
- Recognising and Responding to Acute Deterioration Standard (10 actions)
The Cosmetic Surgery Standards can be found here.
The Cosmetic Surgery Module
QIP guides health services organisations already accredited to the NSQHS Standards through the Cosmetic Surgery Module, which integrates with the NSQHS Standards and includes an additional five standards and 20 actions.
- Clinical Governance (8 additional actions)
- Partnering with Consumers (6 additional actions)
- Medication Safety (3 additional actions)
- Comprehensive Care (2 additional actions)
- Recognising and Responding to Acute Deterioration (1 additional action)
The Cosmetic Surgery Module can be found here.
QIP Client Benefits
QIP is committed to supporting health service organisations throughout their accreditation journey against the Cosmetic Surgery Standards and associated module. Our service model is one of partnership and collaboration to ensure you health service organisations feel confident in the accreditation process and what’s required from them. If clients have any questions at any stage, our QIP Client Liaison Team is on hand to provide personalised support as often or as little as you need and at no extra cost – it’s all part of the service!
Personalised Support
Unlimited personalised support, at no additional cost
Systems & Software
Tailored and user-friendly software systems to guide assessment preparations
Education & training
Education & training to enhance knowledge and assessment requirements
Why the Standards matter
Surgical procedures that carry significant risk – including cosmetic surgery – should only be performed in appropriately licensed facilities that meet national safety and quality standards.
The cosmetic surgery sector presents unique risks that, if not properly managed, can lead to serious consequences for patient safety and outcomes.
The National Safety and Quality Cosmetic Surgery Standards have been developed to reduce those risks, protect the public from harm, and lift the overall quality of cosmetic surgery services in Australia.
The Standards are person-centred and outline the systems, processes, and governance structures required to support consistently safe, high-quality clinical care.