The Australian Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) has a strong commitment to supporting plastic surgeons in rural and regional Australia.

Despite almost 30 per cent of the Australian population living in regional or rural areas less than 10 per cent of specialist plastic surgeons work in these areas. Irrespective of community need, there is a large discrepancy between the metropolitan and regional, and rural Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery workforce. 

There is a longstanding recognition that the regional and rural health workforce must be better supported, better encouraged, and better retained in order to ensure regional and rural communities are not disadvantaged when compared with their metropolitan counterparts.

The ASPS has commissioned a number of projects as part of its Regional and Rural Strategy. Together, these projects comprise the ASPS Regional and Rural Portfolio with RACS work on its Rural Health Equity Strategy also providing instrumental information. 

A primary take-home from the project has been the recognition that data on community need for plastic and reconstructive surgery services is required in order to appropriately identify and develop a service that can meet the needs of rural and regional communities.

Being at the top end of Australia, Darwin has seen a shortage of plastic and reconstructive surgeons. As a result of this need ASPS successfully formed Rural and Regional Committee in 2019, which started in 2020. This partnership now has some of Australia’s most highly skilled plastic surgeons who work and live in the Top End in a rotation system involving Royal Darwin Hospital and Palmerston Regional Hospital. Along with undertaking specialist plastic surgery procedures during their time on rotation, the placements also enable local surgeons to further develop their skills through training opportunities with the specialists.

The plastic surgery service now has very busy outpatient clinics, with around 90 patients being seen per week. Many outpatient referrals are from the Emergency Department regarding urgent hand conditions but increasingly GP referrals for conditions such as skin cancer, Dupuytren’s disease, breast problems and chronic wounds are being serviced. The outpatient clinics have been very well supported by an excellent cohort of nursing staff, who have adapted well to the changing service.

Read the ASPS Guide to establishing a regional or rural plastic and reconstructive surgery service here.

Read the Darwin Workforce Project here.