Very rarely do Botox legal issues arise. Still, when they do, or when other cosmetic procedures go wrong, it’s helpful if you know what to do about them.
The more informed you are, the more confident you can be to take the best steps for your situation. If you’ve found yourself in this very situation, consider the following information.
What Your Surgeon Should Do
Even though your surgeon may have attempted to do everything right and walked you through the risks associated with your procedure, things can still go wrong. When they do, there are rules and regulations in place your surgeon must follow to ensure a beneficial outcome for all.
According to the Code of Conduct for Doctors in Australia, the surgeon should first recognise what has happened. Once they have identified the issue, they should immediately attempt to rectify the problem and seek advice and help themselves if they need to do so.
As this process affects you, your surgeon should explain what has happened and what both the short-term and long-term effects of it might or will be.
It’s also essential that they provide the support you need, acknowledge any distress you’re experiencing, and comply with all policies relating to the situation, subject to their insurer’s advice.
Given the seriousness of the situation when cosmetic surgery goes wrong, your surgeon will need to report the events to an authority, review what happened, and put changes in place to reduce the risk of it happening again.
If you wish to make a complaint, they also need to make information around complaints procedures available to you.
What to Do If You Want to Make a Complaint
Whether you’ve experienced a mishap with your Botox procedure or something went wrong with cosmetic surgery, it’s only natural that you will want to see justice for what has happened to you. Your first step will always be to discuss your problem with your surgeon or doctor.
They will have to acknowledge your right to make your complaint, work with you to resolve the problem, and provide an apology and a constructive response if it’s appropriate.
You may also be referred to another doctor for further care to reduce the risk of the complaint affecting your care.
Taking Your Complaint Further
If you don’t feel that your doctor or surgeon has taken your complaint seriously, it’s within your rights to take it further. You can begin by contacting the Independent Health Services Commission in your state or territory.
You may also complain to the Australian Health Practitioners’ Regulation Agency or your closest Australian Medical Association branch. Whichever establishment you choose to direct your complaint towards, you can do so on the grounds of any of these things below:
- Failure to exercise due skill
- Failure to provide a service
- Providing an unnecessary service
- Denying your privacy
- Denying your dignity
- Denying access to health care information
- Failing to treat you in a professional manner
- Failing to provide information for your decision-making process
Every day, thousands of people in Australia undergo successful cosmetic procedures that assist them in a variety of ways. However, not all of them will go off without a hitch. If you are unhappy with the level of service you received from your cosmetic surgeon, this information above may give you a helpful starting point to get the justice you seek.
