Dr Tim French

Phlebologist (venous medicine)
AHPRA registration: MED0001790529
MBBS, FRACGP, Dip Surg Anat, Cert Phleb, Cert US Phleb

You can check this registration yourself at ahpra.gov.au.

What "phlebologist" means in Australia

This matters, and most clinic pages gloss over it. Phlebology is not an AHPRA-recognised medical specialty. There is no specialist registration in phlebology, and "phlebologist" is not a protected title.

Doctors who practise venous medicine come to it from another field and add certification. Dr French's specialist registration is in general practice (FRACGP). To that he has added a Diploma in Surgical Anatomy from the University of Melbourne, a Certificate in Phlebology and a Certificate of Ultrasound in Phlebology, and he is a member of the Australasian College of Phlebology.

That is a substantial and relevant set of qualifications for vein work. It is simply not the same thing as specialist registration in vascular surgery, and you are entitled to know the difference before you decide.

Background

Over a decade of clinical experience, including posts at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Royal Adelaide Hospital across neurosurgery and plastic surgery, with further experience in emergency medicine, trauma and general practice. More than 5,000 vein procedures. Member of the Australian Medical Association and the Australasian College of Aesthetic Medicine.

What Dr French treats

• Varicose veins - including endovenous laser ablation and ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy
• Spider veins and thread veins
• Venous ulcers and the assessment behind them
• Skin cancer medicine, and mole removal

A word on vein assessment

Leg veins are not diagnosed by looking at them. A duplex ultrasound maps which veins are failing and in which direction blood is flowing, and the treatment plan follows that map. Treating visible veins without it tends to produce recurrence, because the underlying source is untreated.

Two safety points that apply to any clinic:

• Compression is not always safe. Arterial circulation must be assessed before compression therapy is used on a leg ulcer - compression on an arterial ulcer can cause serious harm.
• A pigmented lesion is never lasered or frozen off before it has been assessed. Anything with a question over it is excised whole and sent for pathology.

Consultation

Vein consultation $230, mole removal consultation $150, including GST, as at September 2024. Some vein treatment has an MBS item number where there is a clinical indication - ask for the item number and check the rebate with Medicare and your fund yourself. Me Clinic is not a no-gap provider.

Bring compression stockings if you already wear them, a list of medications, and details of any previous vein treatment.

Booking

Me Clinic, 4 Burke Road, Malvern East VIC 3145. Phone 1300 852 050 or (03) 9569 3511, or use the consultation form.

Related: vein treatments, meet the team, risks and complications.

Individual results may vary. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.