Last updated: October 2026. These terms explain how our practice works with you, and the terms for using this website. “We” means Dr Chris Oosthuizen, Specialist Ear, Nose and Throat Surgeon, trading as Form & Function Rhinoplasty and Sinus Surgery, and the staff who work with him.
Our commitment to you
All our patients receive respectful care and are not discriminated against on the basis of age, gender, ethnicity, beliefs, sexual preference or health status. We welcome your feedback and any complaint; see “If you are unhappy” below.
Seeing us
Referral. Cosmetic surgery requires a referral. It should come from your usual GP where possible, or from another GP or other specialist medical practitioner, and the referrer must work independently of the surgeon and must not perform cosmetic surgery or non-surgical cosmetic procedures themselves. For nasal and sinus problems where the reason for surgery is how the nose works, we ask for a referral as our practice policy, and you need one to claim a Medicare rebate.
Cosmetic surgery. The Medical Board of Australia requires, before any cosmetic surgery: at least two consultations, at least one of them in person with the surgeon who will operate, and a cooling-off period of at least seven days after the second consultation and signed consent. Surgery cannot be booked, and no deposit taken, until the cooling-off period has ended. This is for your protection, and we follow it for every cosmetic operation. We offer video consultations for patients who live out of town, although a first consultation in person is ideal.
Patients under 18. Dr Oosthuizen does not perform cosmetic surgery on patients under 18.
Not every consultation leads to an operation. A consultation is an assessment, not a surgery booking. We will only recommend surgery that we believe can give a worthwhile improvement, and we will tell you if we do not think it will.
Fees and costs
Before you decide to go ahead we will give you a written quote that sets out our fee, plus the estimates the anaesthetist and the hospital give us for theirs and any other expected costs (for example assistants or pathology), together with any Medicare rebate or health fund contribution we expect. The anaesthetist and hospital set their own fees, so their final accounts may differ from the estimates. Surgery to correct a breathing problem may attract a Medicare rebate and fund cover; surgery done purely to change appearance does not. What qualifies is decided by the examination findings, not by the reason you came in.
- The initial consultation is charged separately and is not part of the surgical fee. We will tell you its fee when you book, and it is payable at the appointment. Post-operative follow-up appointments are included.
- Anaesthetist and hospital accounts are issued separately by them and are not set by us.
- Deposit and payment. The deposit and the balance are explained under “Changing or cancelling” below.
- If an unexpected cost arises we will tell you before it is incurred wherever we can.
Changing or cancelling
Consultations. Please give us as much notice as you can if you need to change or cancel an appointment. If you cancel with less than one business day’s notice, or do not attend, a cancellation fee of $100 applies.
Surgery deposit and payment. After your cooling-off period has ended and you have signed consent, we take a deposit of $2,000 to book and confirm your operating date. It is credited against our fee. The balance of our fee is due 4 weeks before surgery.
If you cancel or postpone surgery:
- More than 4 weeks before: we refund the deposit in full.
- From 14 days up to 4 weeks before: we keep the deposit and refund any balance you have paid.
- Less than 14 days before, or if you do not attend: we keep the deposit. If we cannot fill the date, we may also charge you for the loss we actually suffer from that, up to the full surgical fee (the deposit we keep counts towards that amount). Any charges the hospital or anaesthetist make to us for the cancellation are passed on at cost. We will tell you the amount and how we worked it out before charging it.
If surgery cannot go ahead safely. If you are unwell and give us a medical certificate, or Dr Oosthuizen advises postponing, we move your deposit to a new date or refund it, and we do not charge a cancellation fee for the surgery.
What we ask of you
Our advice is based on what you tell us and on our examination, so please give us a full and honest history, including medicines, allergies, smoking and any earlier surgery. Following your pre- and post-operative instructions and attending your reviews gives you the best chance of a good recovery. If you have any problem after surgery, contact us; in an emergency call 000. Email and the website’s enquiry form are not for urgent medical problems.
Photographs
We take clinical photographs for your care. We publish before and after photographs only with your separate written consent. Photographs are cropped, and eyes are masked to protect your privacy; they are not otherwise edited, filtered, retouched or colour-corrected. We do not publish testimonials or reviews. See our Privacy policy for how we handle your information.
Results and risks
All surgery carries risk, and individual results vary. No surgical result can be guaranteed, and the photographs on this website show selected cases, not what any individual will achieve. Swelling continues to settle for twelve months or more. The risks of rhinoplasty are set out in our rhinoplasty risks and side effects answers, and we will go through them with you in person before you consent.
Using this website
- General information only. The content is general and does not replace an examination or personal medical advice. Reading it, or sending an enquiry, does not create a doctor–patient relationship; that begins when we agree to see you.
- Copyright. The text, photographs and images are copyright of Dr Oosthuizen or used with permission, and must not be copied or distributed without written consent.
- Links. Links to other websites are for your convenience. We do not control them and are not responsible for their content.
- Accuracy. We take care to keep the site accurate and current, but it may be out of date or contain errors; please check with us before you rely on it for a decision.
- Liability. To the extent the law allows, we are not liable for loss arising from your use of the website. Nothing in these terms limits any right you have under the Australian Consumer Law or any other law that cannot be excluded.
If you are unhappy
Please tell us first, by phone on (07) 3202 4636 or at [email protected], and we will respond promptly. If you are not satisfied, you can contact the Office of the Health Ombudsman (Queensland), 133 OHO (133 646), or the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), ahpra.gov.au, 1300 419 495.
Changes and governing law
We may update these terms; the date at the top shows the latest version. They are governed by the law of Queensland, and the courts of Queensland have jurisdiction.
