Can clinics ask patients for Google reviews? The rules in plain English

Yes, you can ask patients for Google reviews. Here are the AHPRA, Google and consumer law rules on how you ask, respond and use reviews.

20 February 202610 min read

Updated 29 October 2026 to reflect the latest rules and guidance.

Ahpra’s general advertising guidelines have applied since 14 December 2020. Stricter rules for cosmetic procedures have applied since 1 July 2023 (cosmetic surgery) and 2 September 2025 (higher risk non-surgical procedures), and the maximum ACL penalty for companies doubled to $100 million from 28 March 2026.

Reviews matter. They help your practice show up in Google’s map results, and they’re one of the first things a new patient looks at. So it’s no surprise we get asked this question constantly: are clinics even allowed to ask for reviews?

The short answer is yes. The longer answer is that three sets of rules overlap: the National Law and Ahpra’s advertising guidelines, Google’s own review policies and the Australian Consumer Law. Each one covers a different part of the process, from how you ask to what you do with reviews afterwards. Here’s how they fit together.

The rules that apply

The National Law and Ahpra’s guidelines

Section 133 of the National Law says advertising a regulated health service must not use testimonials or purported testimonials. Ahpra defines a testimonial as a recommendation or positive statement about the clinical aspects of a regulated health service used in advertising. The key words are “used in advertising”. Ahpra’s guidelines say patients posting reviews on review platforms is not prohibited. The problem arises when a practice uses those reviews to promote its services.

Since 21 October 2022, the maximum penalty for an advertising offence is $60,000 for an individual and $120,000 for a body corporate.

Google’s review policies

Google’s Maps user generated content policy allows businesses to encourage reviews that reflect a genuine experience. It prohibits offering incentives for reviews, discouraging or prohibiting negative reviews, and selectively soliciting positive reviews. It also says businesses shouldn’t require or pressure people to leave reviews while on the premises, and shouldn’t ask staff to collect a set number of reviews or reviews with specific content. Content based on a conflict of interest, such as reviews from current or former employees, isn’t allowed.

The Australian Consumer Law

The ACL applies to every business. The ACCC has said that creating fake reviews, or editing or removing genuine negative reviews to inflate a rating or hide negatives, breaches the ACL, and that failing to disclose incentivised reviews is likely to mislead consumers.

Asking for reviews is allowed

Nothing stops you asking patients to leave a review on Google or another independent platform. Ahpra’s testimonial guidance says advertisers aren’t responsible for reviews on platforms they don’t control, and the owner of a review platform is responsible for its own compliance. Your obligations kick in when you take reviews and use them in your own advertising, or when reviews appear on channels you control.

The key is how you ask. A good request is:

Consistent. Ask every patient the same way, not just the ones you think will be happy.
Free of incentives. No discounts, gifts, prize draws or credits in exchange for a review.
Free of pressure. A friendly invitation sent after the visit, not a request at the front desk while the patient waits.
Easy. A direct link to your Google Business Profile review form.
Neutral. Ask for honest feedback, not a five-star review or a mention of a particular treatment.

Don’t filter who you ask

Some review tools ask patients how their visit went first, then send only the happy ones to Google and route everyone else to a private feedback form. This is often called review gating. Google’s policy prohibits selectively soliciting positive reviews, and the ACCC’s 2023 internet sweep flagged review management services that steer happy customers to public reviews and unhappy ones to the business as concerning conduct under the ACL.

If you use a reputation or SMS tool, check its settings. Ask everyone the same way, and handle feedback through your normal complaints process.

Never offer incentives

Offering anything in return for a review breaches Google’s policy, and undisclosed incentivised reviews can mislead consumers under the ACL. For a health practice there’s an extra issue: inducements tied to your services are already restricted under the National Law, and the cosmetic practice guidelines prohibit free or discounted procedures in exchange for promotion. Keep it simple and genuine.

Don’t edit, hide or cherry-pick

The health sector’s clearest warning is the HealthEngine case. On 20 August 2020, the ACCC announced that the Federal Court had ordered HealthEngine to pay $2.9 million in penalties. Among other things, HealthEngine admitted that between 31 March 2015 and 1 March 2018 it didn’t publish around 17,000 reviews and edited around 3,000 reviews to remove negative aspects or embellish them.

Ahpra’s testimonial guidance makes the same point from the advertising side: editing a review that has mixed comments so that only the positive parts are published can be misleading.

You can’t use reviews in your advertising

This is where most practices slip up. A review that talks about the clinical side of your service, such as symptoms, outcomes or a practitioner’s skill, is a testimonial if you use it in advertising. That means:

no copying Google reviews onto your website
no review widgets that display clinical review text on your site
no sharing reviews to your social media or using them in ads or emails
no screenshots of reviews in printed or in-clinic material

Comments that are purely about customer service or communication style, like friendly staff or easy parking, are not testimonials and can generally be used. If in doubt, leave reviews on Google, where patients can find them anyway.

What about star ratings?

Ahpra’s published guidance doesn’t specifically address star ratings. Because a rating summarises patients’ experiences, which often include clinical aspects, the cautious approach is to link to your Google profile rather than display ratings in your own advertising. If you do show one, never show the review text, and take advice first if you offer cosmetic procedures.

Be careful how you respond

Responding to reviews is good practice, but health practices need to be more careful than most businesses. Ahpra’s testimonial guidance says advertisers should take care if they engage with reviews on third-party websites, because that can be treated as using a testimonial.

For positive reviews, a short, warm thank you is fine. Avoid repeating or endorsing any clinical details. For cosmetic procedures the rules are explicit: the 2025 guidelines for advertising higher risk non-surgical cosmetic procedures say a practitioner uses a testimonial if they interact with a review on a third-party website or social media page, such as by liking it. The Medical Board’s 2023 cosmetic surgery advertising guidelines take the same approach.

For negative reviews, keep it calm and keep it offline:

don’t confirm the person is a patient, since that alone can disclose health information
never discuss their care, treatment or health information
acknowledge their concern and invite them to contact the practice directly
don’t threaten or pressure the reviewer

Something like: “Thanks for your feedback. We take every concern seriously and would welcome the chance to talk this through. Please call the practice and ask for our practice manager.”

If you resolve a complaint, be aware that from 1 December 2025 (4 December 2025 in South Australia) the National Law restricts non-disclosure agreements that would stop people raising concerns with the regulator, and protects people who make notifications from reprisal.

What about fake or unfair reviews?

If a review breaches Google’s policies, for example it’s spam, offensive, off-topic or posted by someone with a conflict of interest, you can flag it for removal through your Google Business Profile. Google won’t remove a review just because it’s negative, so focus your energy on resolving genuine complaints and building a steady flow of honest reviews. Never post reviews yourself, or ask staff, family or friends to.

What it means channel by channel

Website

Remove review widgets and testimonial carousels that show clinical comments. A plain link to your Google profile is a simpler option.

Google Business Profile

Respond consistently and briefly. Check that your business name and services list don’t include prescription medicine terms, which the TGA treats as advertising.

Social media

Don’t share or repost patient posts about treatment, and moderate comments on your own pages. Ahpra’s guidance says you’re responsible for reviews on channels you control, and disabling review functions is one option where you can’t remove them.

Email and SMS

A plain review request after an appointment is a sensible approach. If you add offers or promotional content, the ACMA treats the message as commercial under the spam rules, so it needs a working unsubscribe option. Since 1 July 2026, texts sent with an unregistered sender ID are labelled ‘Unverified’ by carriers, and the ACMA has asked medical and dental surgeries to register their sender IDs through their telco or messaging provider.

Common mistakes we see

Review tools set up to send only happy patients to Google.
“Leave us a five-star review” wording in SMS templates.
Website widgets that pull in every Google review, including clinical ones.
Replying to reviews with “So glad the treatment worked for you!”
Staff asked to collect a quota of reviews each week.
Replies to negative reviews that confirm the person was a patient.

A practical checklist

Send the same review request to every patient, with no incentive and no pre-screening.
Check your review or SMS tool for gating settings and switch them off.
Remove clinical review text from your website, social media, ads and printed material.
Agree a short, neutral template for responding to positive and negative reviews.
Never confirm someone is a patient or discuss their care in a reply.
Don’t edit, hide or selectively publish reviews on channels you control.
For cosmetic procedures, don’t like or interact approvingly with reviews.
Register your SMS sender ID with your provider.
Check your profile weekly and flag reviews that breach Google’s policies.

Frequently asked questions

Can we send an automatic review request after every appointment?

Yes, as long as it goes to every patient, offers no incentive and doesn’t pre-screen people based on their satisfaction.

Can we put our Google reviews on our website?

Not if they mention clinical aspects such as symptoms, outcomes or clinical skill. Reviews only about customer service, like reception staff or parking, are not testimonials.

Are we responsible for what patients write on Google?

Ahpra’s guidance says advertisers aren’t responsible for reviews on platforms they don’t control. You are responsible if you use those reviews in your advertising, and for reviews on your own website and social media.

Can we thank someone for a positive review?

Yes, briefly and without repeating any clinical details. If you offer cosmetic procedures, the guidelines treat liking or interacting with a review as using a testimonial, so keep replies neutral or don’t reply at all.

Can we ask a patient to remove a negative review?

You can invite them to discuss their concern, but don’t pressure them or offer anything in exchange. Google’s policy prohibits rewards for removing a negative review.

Need a hand?

A steady, compliant review process is one of the most useful things you can set up for local search. Our local SEO service includes a compliant review strategy and response templates for your team, and our AHPRA compliance audit checks your website and social channels for review content that shouldn’t be there.

This article is general guidance based on the published rules, not legal advice. Final responsibility for advertising sits with the registered practitioner, and complex situations may need independent legal advice.