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The Guidelines for registered health practitioners who perform non-surgical cosmetic procedures (the guidelines) have been developed to help practitioners understand their obligations.
Download the Guidelines for registered health practitioners who perform non-surgical cosmetic procedures (336 KB, PDF)
Other resources are available to help practitioners comply with the guidelines.
The Guidelines for registered health practitioners who perform non-surgical cosmetic procedures (the guidelines) have been developed by National Boards1 under section 39 of the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (the National Law) as in force in each state and territory.
For nurses: These guidelines replace the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia’s Position statement: Nurses and cosmetic medical procedures.2
These guidelines do not, by themselves, authorise or permit any registered health practitioner to undertake non-surgical cosmetic procedures. Nor do they exist to expand the scope of practice of any registered health profession to include non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
These guidelines aim to inform registered health practitioners and the community about the Boards’ expectations of registered health practitioners who perform non-surgical cosmetic procedures (cosmetic procedures) in Australia. They provide specific guidance for registered health practitioners who perform cosmetic procedures and/or who are engaged in services that provide cosmetic procedures.
These guidelines complement and must be read in conjunction with the relevant Board’s code of conduct and other relevant guidance from National Boards including, but not limited to, professional standards, decision making frameworks and position statements.
These guidelines have been informed by the definitions in the Medical Board of Australia’s Guidelines for registered medical practitioners who perform cosmetic surgery and procedures where relevant to non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
Non-surgical cosmetic procedures are procedures undertaken to revise or change the appearance, colour, texture, structure, or position of bodily features with the dominant purpose of achieving what the person perceives to be a more desirable appearance. They may involve piercing the skin or altering other body tissue (for example, teeth). Examples include, but are not limited to, prescription only cosmetic injectables such as botulinum toxin3 and dermal fillers (also known as soft tissue fillers), fat dissolving injections, thread lifts, sclerotherapy and microsclerotherapy, CO2 laser skin resurfacing, cryolipolysis (fat freezing), laser hair removal, dermabrasion, chemical peels and hair transplants.
Procedures excluded from these guidelines are those that:
A procedure may be clinically justified if the dominant purpose is the restoration, correction or improvement in the shape, function or appearance of body structures that are defective or damaged at birth or by injury, disease, growth or development. It can be for either functional or psychological reasons. Examples include, but are not limited to, the removal of skin tags and skin cancers, and treatments for severe acne.
These guidelines apply to any health practitioners registered under the National Law who perform non-surgical cosmetic procedures, except medical practitioners. Since medical practitioners also perform cosmetic surgery, they should refer to the Medical Board’s Guidelines for registered medical practitioners who perform cosmetic surgery and procedures.
NOTE FOR NURSES AND MIDWIVES: In addition to the information below, nurses and midwives should refer to Appendix A.
All registered health practitioners are required to work within the limits of their skills, training and experience. There is a broad variation in the skills, knowledge and abilities of the professions these guidelines apply to, and in the type and risk of the cosmetic procedures undertaken by these professions. This means that the level and type of education and training required to perform a cosmetic procedure competently and safely may vary significantly.
Some cosmetic procedures are restricted to particular professions,4 require an authorisation only available to certain registered health practitioners5 or require particular anatomical, physiological, pharmacodynamic or pharmacokinetic knowledge.
Registered health practitioners wishing to undertake cosmetic procedures should be certain that they possess sufficient knowledge, skills and competence to undertake the cosmetic procedure along with any required authorisation or licensing requirements.
Even if a practitioner believes they possess adequate knowledge, skills and competence to safely perform a cosmetic procedure, the procedure or prescribing of a cosmetic injectable may not be within the practice of their profession. The scope of a practitioner’s practice may also be limited by other guidance from their National Board6 along with legal, workplace and regulatory requirements, such as drugs and poisons legislation as in effect in each state and territory.
Registered health practitioners must also ensure that they comply with their National Board’s requirements for professional indemnity insurance, including that they have professional indemnity arrangements that provide appropriate cover for all aspects of their practice.
For more information on education, training and competence see section 9.
Cosmetic injectable means a medicine or a substance that can only be obtained with a valid prescription from a registered health practitioner, who is authorised to prescribe the medicine or substance under the relevant state and territory legislation of the jurisdiction in which they practise.
Medical practitioner means a medical practitioner registered by the Medical Board of Australia under the National Law.
Nurse means a registered nurse, enrolled nurse or nurse practitioner registered by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia under the National Law.7
Person8 means individuals who are seeking treatment from, or have entered into a professional relationship with, a registered health practitioner for the purpose of undertaking a non-surgical cosmetic procedure.
Prescriber means a health practitioner authorised to prescribe within the scope of their practice.
Prescribing means a dynamic process involving the steps of information gathering, clinical and shared decision making, communication and evaluation which results in the initiation, continuation, or cessation of a medicine.
Registered health practitioner means a person who is registered under the National Law to practise a health profession.
These guidelines recognise that cosmetic procedures may be carried out in different practice arrangements and settings where registered health practitioners may:
Registered health practitioners undertaking cosmetic procedures involving a prescription-only medicine will also be subject to state or territory drugs and poisons legislation and regulations of the jurisdiction where they are practising. Under state and territory drugs and poisons legislation, authorised registered health practitioners who prescribe prescription-only medicines have responsibilities for the care of the person for whom they are prescribed, regardless of whether or not the prescriber performs the procedure.
Where the prescriber is a medical practitioner, they must comply with the Medical Board of Australia’s Guidelines for registered medical practitioners who perform cosmetic surgery and procedures.
Section 41 of the National Law states that an approved registration standard, code or guideline approved by a National Board, is admissible in proceedings under this law or a law of a co-regulatory jurisdiction against a practitioner registered by the Board as evidence of what constitutes appropriate professional conduct or practice for the profession.
These guidelines can be used to assist a National Board in its role of protecting the public, by setting and maintaining standards of practice. If a registered health practitioner’s professional conduct deviates from these guidelines, the practitioner should be prepared to explain and justify their decisions and actions.
Failure to meet these guidelines may have consequences for a health practitioner’s registration.
Practitioners are reminded of their obligations under the Code of conduct to consider the specific needs, health and cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in all of their practice, including practice in cosmetic procedures.
NOTE FOR NURSES: Only registered nurses or nurse practitioners can undertake the assessment outlined in this section.
NOTE FOR NURSES: In addition to the information below, nurses should refer to Appendix A for specific requirements in relation to education and experience for their profession.
This appendix provides specific advice to nurses and midwives about the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia’s (NMBA) requirements and expectations about the education and experience of nurses and midwives considering providing non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
The NMBA expects that nurses and midwives recognise and work within their scope of practice which is determined by their foundational education, training, authorisation, competence, qualifications and experience, in accordance with relevant NMBA regulatory documents such as the Decision-making framework,17 relevant standards for practice, codes of conduct and local legislation and policy.
RNs with a notation that states ‘Solely qualified in the area of mental health, paediatric or disability nursing’ have limited foundational education which does not adequately prepare these RNs for the practice of non-surgical cosmetic procedures. If you hold general registration with a sole qualification notation and wish to work in a different area of nursing practice, you will first need to complete an NMBA-approved program of study leading to general registration as a registered nurse. In addition, you will need to ensure that you then have the appropriate education and experience to work in a different area of practice such as non-surgical cosmetic procedures.
ENs must work under the direct or indirect supervision of an RN, as required in the NMBA’s Enrolled nurse standards for practice and the Fact sheet: Enrolled nurse standards for practice. This is a fundamental requirement that applies to the practice of all ENs. Supervision by a health practitioner other than an RN (for example, a GP or another medical practitioner) does not meet the NMBA’s supervisory requirement.
Direct supervision is where the RN is physically present and personally observes, works with, and directs the EN. This may be necessary for example, to determine an EN’s competence against the standards for practice.
Indirect supervision is where the RN works in the same state or territory-based organisation, is readily available but does not constantly observe the EN's activities. It is generally expected that in the case of indirect supervision, that the RN and the EN have the same employer.
There may be situations where the RN and the EN may not have the same employer but work in the same facility or organisation. In these situations, clearly documented arrangements between the employers, supported by the RN/s and the EN, must be in place. These documented arrangements must include details of all aspects of the supervision arrangements (including insurance) and describe how the RN will be available for reasonable access to ensure effective timely direction and supervision of the EN so that the delegated practice is safe and correct and public safety is ensured.
Date of issue: 2 September 2025
These guidelines will be reviewed from time to time as required. This will generally be at least every five years.
