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  • National Code Of Conduct For Health Care Workers Summary

    National Code Of Conduct For Health Care Workers Summary
    26 Feb
    2018
    Tagged as

    Posted by Evolve College News

    Evolve College educates to the highest degree of integrity and responsibility, attributes which are essential in the provision of any quality, professional health-care.

    Below is a summary of the provisions of the National Code of Conduct for health care workers (National Code), which has been adopted in a number of states of Australia. Evolve College recommends that all health care workers comply with these fundamental terms in their provision of a health-care service, whether they live in a state/territory in which the Code has been enacted, or not.

    All Evolve College students are taught that compliance with minimum regulatory standards is an absolutely uncompromisable standard of professional practice.

    As a non-registered health-care professional, you should comply with the following, as per the National Code:

    SAFE AND ETHICAL HEALTH-CARE:

    You should follow all applicable safety laws and regulations including without limitation Work Health and Safety and infection control in your state/territory, and you should run an ethical practice, observing strictly the client/practitioner boundary, referring where needed. Evolve College adds that you should uphold the absolute, highest possible standards of decency and respect in all your operations.

    You should follow all applicable safety laws and regulations including without limitation Work Health and Safety and infection control in your state/territory, and you should run an ethical practice, observing strictly the client/practitioner boundary, referring where needed. Evolve College adds that you should uphold the absolute, highest possible standards of decency and respect in all your operations.

    You must never dissuade a client from seeking or continuing medical treatment. All communications must be in the best interests of your client.

    MINIMISE HARM:

    You should take all possible steps to minimise harm and act appropriately if something goes wrong. Evolve College adds that you should operate under the premise that medicine was founded on the principle of ‘first, do no harm’. Although you are not a medical doctor, in Evolve College’s view and according to our level of teaching, the same principle applies generally to all of health-care.

    CONSENT FOR TREATMENT:

    You must never financially exploit a client. This means, you must only ever provide services or treatments that are designed to maintain or improve their health or wellbeing. Evolve College adds that all treatment you provide must truly be in the client’s best interests. You must refer to other professionals where in the best interest of your client; and you should always operate on the basis that, ‘you do not own your clients’.

    In addition, you must not accept or offer financial inducements or gifts as part of client referral arrangements with other professionals, and you must not ask a client to give, lend or bequeath money or gifts that will benefit you directly or indirectly.

    NO CLAIMS:

    You must not make any claims or representations that you are qualified, able or willing to cure cancer or any other terminal illness.

    NO MISINFORMATION:

    You must not misinform or mislead your clients in any manner or misrepresent the services you provide or your qualifications, training or professional affiliations.

    Likewise, you must not make claims directly to clients or in advertising or promotional materials (of any kind) about the efficacy of treatment or services you provide, unless those claims are substantiated by acceptable evidence. It is advisable to make no claims at all, even if you think they are supported and substantiated.

    NO INAPPROPRIATE CONDUCT: 

    You must not engage in any behaviour of a sexual or close personal nature with a client, or any sexual or close personal, physical or emotional relationship with a client.

    Evolve College teaches an exceptionally high standard of decency and respect and classifies ‘abuse’ at a much lower threshold than do most if not all other registered educational institutions or the practitioners they train. We teach to this level because as a health-care professional, you are in a position of trust, and you must never, ever breach that trust. Your deeds, words and thoughts should be in accordance with professionalism and integrity at all times, without exception. Evolve College has a detailed policy on this matter for students.

    CARE IN RELATION TO ANY CONDITIONS YOU HAVE:

    You must take all measures to avoid risk to your clients. Part of this is, if you as a therapist are diagnosed with a medical condition that can be passed onto clients, you must ensure that you practise in a manner that does not put clients at risk, and you must take and follow medical advice in this regard.

    You must not provide treatment or care to any client while suffering from any physical or mental impairment, disability, condition or disorder that places or is likely to place clients at risk of harm. If you do have such a condition, you must seek medical advice from a suitably qualified professional, and follow it.

    NO PRACTICE UNDER THE INFLUENCE:

    You must never practise under the influence of alcohol or any unlawful substances. To Evolve College, that means under any influence – even if the state you are in is within legal limits and/or socially acceptable according to societal ‘norms’. Your responsibility as a health-care provider is to put your clients’ interests and wellbeing first, which directly relates to the quality of care you provide.

    If you are taking medication, you must seek medical advice to check whether it will impede your ability to provide a responsible, professional service and you must follow that advice.

    REPORT CONCERNS:

    The code requires health-care workers to report to the relevant health-care complaints agency in their state/territory if in the course of providing treatment or care, they form the reasonable belief that another health-care worker has placed or is placing clients at serious risk of harm. 

    KEEP APPROPRIATE RECORDS:

    You are required to keep appropriate records showing all necessary details, and comply with all privacy laws in the storing and retaining of those records, as well as in relation to producing them to clients on request (e.g. on transfer to another practitioner). Records kept should be legible, clear and sufficient to identify the client and the treatment given, reasons for treatment given, the treatment plan, and progress or results.

    INSURANCE:

    Your practice should be covered by insurance. In Evolve College’s view, you should obtain a combined Public Liability and Professional Indemnity policy, which a reputable broker or insurance firm can help you with. Public liability insurance covers you in the case of an injury to a client or other person on your work premises. Professional Indemnity can cover you in the case of a claim that you have made an error or omission. You should check the terms of cover carefully and the limit to ensure they are appropriate for you. If you are a member of an association, your association may also guide you in this regard, and advise you of minimum insurance requirements they accept.

     DISPLAY THE CODE:

    Health care practitioners who are subject to an enacted code are required to display information in their clinic/workplace about the Code including how clients can make a complaint. Refer to the Evolve College News article linked to below to see if your state/territory has a poster style copy of the Code which you can print on A3 paper and display on the wall in your clinic. You may even have it laminated for safekeeping. You should have a complaints policy that clients can access as well.

     Evolve College teaches its students that professionalism and integrity are what matters in practice. We are known for the quality of education we provide. When practising to the level that Evolve College educates to, the standards above are a natural consequence to prioritise and meet, at a very minimum, and in fact it is possible to practise much higher.

    RESOURCES:

    Evolve College News special update

    For more information about Evolve College and the courses we offer, visit our home page:  www.evolvecollege.com.

    In health-care, Evolve College offers nationally recognised training in Massage and Counselling, and non-accredited courses in Chakra-puncture. Our College teaches all courses with an exceptional degree of care, seen equally in our non health-care courses, in Child Care and Aged Care. Read more on our website.