Allied health and clinics · Google Business Profile · Reviews

Can a healthcare clinic in Australia ask patients for Google reviews?

By BREME · Updated 21 October 2026

Who this is for: Practice owners and managers of Australian physio, dental, chiro, podiatry, psychology, optometry and other clinics run by Ahpra-registered practitioners who want more Google reviews without breaking the advertising rules.

The short version of the rules

Two sets of rules apply at once. The first is the National Law, which Ahpra administers. It does not allow testimonials to be used to advertise a regulated health service. Ahpra defines a testimonial as a recommendation or positive statement about the clinical aspects of a service: symptoms, diagnosis, treatment or outcomes.

The second is Google's own review policy, which applies to every business. Google says merchants may not offer incentives such as payment, discounts or free services in exchange for a review, and may not discourage negative reviews or selectively ask only for positive ones.

Put together, asking for an honest review is not the problem. What gets clinics into trouble is how they ask, who they ask, and what they do with the reviews afterwards.

What Ahpra actually says about Google reviews

Ahpra's testimonial guidance says the prohibition does not stop patients posting reviews on review platforms. Where a clinic does not control the review platform, the platform owner is responsible for compliance, and Ahpra says advertisers do not have to remove or try to remove a review on a website they do not control.

It is different on platforms you do control, such as your own website or your clinic's social media pages. There you are responsible for any testimonials, and Ahpra suggests you may need to turn off review or testimonial functions to stay compliant.

On asking, Avant, the medical defence organisation, reports that Ahpra has confirmed doctors and practices can ask patients to leave ratings on third-party review sites such as Google. Avant adds that you should take the same approach with all patients, not just those you expect to be positive, and never offer an inducement.

Ahpra's testimonial page was last reviewed in 2021, so check the current version and your own professional board's guidance before you set up a process.

How to ask in a way that stays on the right side

1. Decide one moment in the patient journey when everyone gets the same request, such as after their final appointment in a treatment plan or a set number of days after any visit. Do not hand-pick patients.
2. Create your review link. Google says to open your Business Profile in a computer browser, select Read Reviews, then Get more reviews, and copy the link or save the QR code. QR codes can only be made on a computer, not a phone.
3. Word the request neutrally. Ask for honest feedback about their experience with the clinic. Do not suggest what to write, mention results, or ask them to talk about their treatment outcome.
4. Offer nothing in return. No discount on the next visit, no prize draw, no free product. Google treats incentivised reviews as prohibited, and Avant warns against any inducement.
5. Keep reviews where they are. Do not copy Google reviews that praise clinical care onto your website, flyers or social posts, because that turns them into advertising testimonials.

Replying to reviews and what to avoid

Ahpra advises advertisers to take care if they engage with reviews on third-party websites, because that may be treated as using a testimonial to advertise a regulated health service. A safe reply is short and neutral: thank the person, keep any discussion of their care private, and give a way to contact the practice manager.

Never confirm that someone is a patient, and never discuss their condition or treatment in a public reply. If a review is negative, move it offline in the same neutral way.

Do not edit reviews you republish. Ahpra warns that editing a negative review to make it look positive may be misleading, and Avant says that if a review breaches the advertising rules, the whole review should be removed from your own platforms rather than trimmed.

Reviews that talk only about non-clinical things, such as friendly reception staff, easy parking or on-time appointments, are not testimonials under Ahpra's definition and may be used in advertising. Even then, use them complete and unedited.

Hi [first name], thanks for choosing [clinic name]. We're always trying to improve the experience of visiting us, and we'd value your honest feedback. If you'd like to leave a review, you can do it here: [Google review link]. There's no obligation at all. [Practice manager name], [clinic name]

Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback. We read every review and we'd welcome the chance to talk further. Please contact our practice manager, [name], on [phone] or [email]. [Clinic name]