Ethics and professionalism CPD for health practitioners in Australia [email protected]
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Online course · Australia

Advertising a Regulated Health Service: Applying the Ahpra Advertising Guidelines

Testimonials, Claims, Titles, Before-and-After Images and Social Media Done Lawfully

  • About 3 hours
  • 20 scenario questions
  • Reflective account
  • Certificate of completion
  • Online, self-paced

About this course

Health advertising in Australia is judged by stricter rules than ordinary marketing, and a review widget, a bio line or a promotional offer can be enough to breach them. This three-hour course turns section 133 of the National Law and the Board advertising guidelines into decisions you can apply to every page, post and flyer.

The course begins with why health advertising is regulated differently, what counts as advertising and who is treated as the advertiser when an agency, employer or platform is involved. It then works through the five section 133 prohibitions one by one: misleading content, gifts and discounts, testimonials, unreasonable expectations of benefit and encouraging unnecessary use.

Separate sections deal with testimonials and social proof (clinical versus non-clinical statements, reviews on your own and third-party channels, curating reviews, influencers and staff content), with claims, evidence and pricing, and with titles and qualifications, including specialist registration, areas of interest, 'Dr', post-nominals and the restricted title 'surgeon'.

Later sections cover images, before-and-after standards, consent for patient images, filters, AI and stock imagery, therapeutic goods advertising, the Australian Consumer Law, stricter rules for cosmetic procedures, vulnerable audiences, how Ahpra enforces the rules, responding to an advertising letter and running an audit of your own advertising with a sign-off process for agencies.

What you will learn

  • Tell whether a post, page or listing is advertising a regulated health service and who carries responsibility for it
  • Test copy against the five prohibitions in section 133 before it is published
  • Separate a prohibited testimonial from a lawful comment and decide what to do about reviews you control
  • Back up any claim about effectiveness with evidence of the kind the guidelines accept
  • Present fees, Medicare rebates, gaps and offers accurately and without inducement
  • Use titles, post-nominals, "specialist", "Dr" and "surgeon" lawfully
  • Publish before-and-after or patient images only when they are genuine, comparable and consented
  • Know where TGA rules, consumer law and the cosmetic guidelines add further limits

Who this course is for

  • Registered practitioners with a website, social media account or directory listing
  • Practice owners and directors who sign off on marketing
  • Practice managers and marketing staff in health businesses
  • Employed practitioners whose name or image appears in an employer's promotions
  • Practitioners in cosmetic, weight loss and other closely watched areas
  • Anyone who has received a letter from Ahpra about their advertising

How the course works

  1. Enrol online and the course appears under My Courses in your Probity Courses account, ready to open on a computer, tablet or phone.

  2. Work through 8 sections and 33 short lessons in order, at your own pace. Your place is saved in the browser you use, so you can stop and come back.

  3. Use the key points, scenarios and reflection prompts in each section, and write your own notes as you go; they stay with your course pack.

  4. Finish with a 20-question final assessment. You need 16 correct answers (80%) to pass, and you can retake it after a short pause if needed.

  5. Write your reflective account, submit the short feedback form and your completion is recorded. Download a certificate of completion stating the estimated learning time (about 3 hours); record the time you actually spend.

Course content

9 sections · About 3 hours · 20-question final assessment

1What Counts as Advertising and Who Is Responsible4 lessons
  • Why Health Advertising Is Regulated Differently
  • What Is, and Is Not, Advertising
  • Who Is the Advertiser?
  • The Layers of Law That Apply
2Section 133: The Five Prohibitions5 lessons
  • False, Misleading or Deceptive Advertising
  • Gifts, Discounts and Other Inducements
  • Testimonials: The Prohibition in Brief
  • Unreasonable Expectation of Beneficial Treatment
  • Indiscriminate or Unnecessary Use
3Testimonials, Reviews and Social Proof4 lessons
  • Clinical and Non-Clinical Statements
  • Reviews on Your Own Channels and on Third-Party Sites
  • Editing, Curating and Engaging with Reviews
  • Influencers, Ambassadors, Staff and Patient Content
4Claims, Evidence and Pricing4 lessons
  • Acceptable Evidence for Effectiveness Claims
  • Words and Formats That Cause Problems
  • Condition Lists, Comparisons and Superiority Claims
  • Fees, Medicare, Health Funds and Gaps
5Titles, Qualifications and Specialist Claims4 lessons
  • Protected Titles and Holding Out
  • Specialist Registration, Endorsements and Areas of Interest
  • The "Dr" Title and Post-Nominals
  • The Restricted Title "Surgeon"
6Images, Before-and-After and Digital Content4 lessons
  • When Images Mislead
  • Standards for Before-and-After Images
  • Consent and Privacy for Patient Images
  • Video, Filters, AI-Generated Content and Stock Images
7Therapeutic Goods, Consumer Law and Higher-Risk Areas4 lessons
  • Advertising Services That Involve Therapeutic Goods
  • The Australian Consumer Law
  • Cosmetic Procedures: Stricter Rules
  • Vulnerable People and Sensitive Health Areas
8Compliance, Enforcement and a Compliant Practice4 lessons
  • How Ahpra Enforces the Advertising Rules
  • Responding to an Advertising Letter or Notification
  • Auditing Your Advertising
  • Policies, Sign-Off and Working with Marketing Agencies
9Conclusion, Final Assessment and Reflection4 lessons
  • Conclusion and key points
  • References and quick-reference guide
  • Final assessment (20 questions, 80% pass mark)
  • Your reflective account

Assessment and certificate

  • Certificate of completion stating the estimated learning time (about 3 hours); record the time you actually spend.
  • A written reflective account you can keep with your CPD records.

Questions about this course

What can a court fine me for unlawful health advertising?

Each offence can attract a fine of up to $60,000 if you advertise as an individual, or double that for a company. Most matters are handled with education or warnings first; prosecution is kept for serious or repeated breaches.

Can I share Google reviews on my clinic website?

Not if they include clinical testimonials. Reviews that mention symptoms, treatment or outcomes and appear on channels you control are generally treated as your advertising. The course explains how to handle reviews on platforms you do and do not control.

Can I describe myself as a specialist in an area I focus on?

Not unless the Board has granted you specialist registration in that field. The course gives safer ways to describe an area of interest or experience without implying specialist status.

Does the course cover cosmetic advertising rules?

Yes, in outline. It explains the stricter guidelines for cosmetic surgery and higher-risk non-surgical cosmetic procedures. The cosmetic procedures course covers them in detail.

Can I count this course towards my CPD?

That is your call under your Board's CPD standard: you choose activities that match your scope and the learning needs in your plan. If this course fits, file the certificate of completion, record the time you actually spend and note one change you will make in practice.

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