|
|
|
Home  Code of Conduct |
All APA Members are bound by the following Code of Conduct.
Preamble
Physiotherapy is a holistic approach to the prevention, diagnosis and
therapeutic management of disorders of human movement to enhance the
health and welfare of the community. The practice of physiotherapy
encompasses a diversity of clinical specialities to meet the unique
needs of different client groups. Physiotherapy is an autonomous
profession.
Australian physiotherapists are registered health care professionals
with university degree qualifications. Physiotherapists who are members
of the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) are expected to
undertake continuing professional development programs.
APA members are committed to promoting and facilitating the practice of
physiotherapy to improve the health status of the community for the
common good.
Physiotherapists who are members of the Australian Physiotherapy
Association are bound to uphold the APA Code of Conduct and the four
Ethical Principles on which the Code is based.
The Code of Conduct has been established by the Australian
Physiotherapy Association as the basis for ethical and professional
conduct which meets community expectations and justifies community
trust in the judgement and integrity of APA members.
The Ethical Principles on which the Code of Conduct is founded are absolute.
The Code of Conduct, however, is a dynamic statement which reflects the
changing expectations of physiotherapists and the Australian community
at large. The Code of Conduct is subject to regular review to maintain
its relevance and merit.
The Interpretation of the Code of Conduct provides practical
interpretations to assist APA members to understand and uphold the
Code. The specific interpretations of ethical and professional
obligations as outlined should not be seen as exhaustive or limiting
the scope of the Code.
Ethical Principles
When choosing a physio, remember to look for the APA logo as your
assurance of quality. Members of the Australian Physiotherapy
Association shall uphold four cardinal ethical principles.
- APA members shall respect the autonomy of the individual.
- APA members shall cause no harm.
- APA members shall advance the common good.
- APA members shall act fairly.
Code of Conduct
Physiotherapists who are members of the Australian Physiotherapy Association shall uphold the APA Code of Conduct:
- APA members shall respect the rights and dignity of all individuals.
- APA members shall comply with the laws and regulations governing the practice of physiotherapy in Australia.
- APA members shall comply with the Constitution,
Regulations, Policies and Procedures of the Australian Physiotherapy
Association.
- APA members shall define their scope of practice
according to current knowledge and competency standards, shall practise
in a careful, honest and accountable manner and shall accept
responsibility for the exercise of sound judgement.
- APA members shall strive for standards of excellence in
all aspects of physiotherapy practice, education, research and
promotion.
- APA members shall respect the confidentiality and security of client information.
- APA members shall provide accurate information about physiotherapy to clients and the general community.
- APA members shall communicate and co-operate with
colleagues and other health care providers and agencies in the best
interests of their clients and the community.
- APA members shall contribute to the development and
implementation of health services which enhance the health status of
the community.
- APA members shall act in a manner which reflects well on the physiotherapy profession.
Interpretation
The Interpretation of the Code of Conduct provides practical
interpretations to assist APA members to understand and uphold the
Code. The specific interpretations of ethical and professional
obligations as outlined should not be seen as exhaustive or limiting
the scope of the Code.
Behaviour not in accordance with the Code of Conduct and/or the underlying Ethical Principles constitutes a breach of this Code.
Complaints which relate to an alleged breach of the Code of Conduct may
be referred to a State/Territory Physiotherapists Registration Board, a
State/Territory Health Complaints Commissioner or the Australian
Physiotherapy Association depending on the circumstances of the case.
-
- APA members shall respect the rights and dignity of all individuals.
- Clients shall not be denied the right to physiotherapy on the
basis of age, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, creed or
health status.
- Clients have the right to have individual feelings and cultural customs respected.
- Clients have the right to privacy.
- Clients have the right to participate in decisions about their physiotherapy care.
- Clients have the right to obtain a second opinion and to cease physiotherapy.
- Clients have the right to discuss concerns and to have complaints managed sensitively and appropriately.
- Clients have the right to expect relationships with their treating physiotherapists will be based on confidence and trust.
- Physiotherapists shall not engage in any sexual activity with a person who is a client.
-
- APA members shall comply with the laws and regulations governing
the practice of physiotherapy in Australia.
- Physiotherapists shall have a full understanding of all the laws and regulations relevant to the practice of physiotherapy.
-
- APA members shall comply with the Constitution, Regulations, Policies and Procedures of the
Australian Physiotherapy Association.
- APA members shall have a full understanding of the
Constitution, Regulations, Policies and Procedures of the Australian
Physiotherapy Association.
-
- APA members shall define their scope of practice according to
current knowledge and competency standards, shall practice in a
careful, honest and accountable manner and shall accept responsibility
for the exercise of sound judgement.
- Clients have the right to benefit from physiotherapy which is designed to meet their unique needs.
- Clients have the right to be referred to more suitably qualified practitioners.
- Clients have the right to be protected from inappropriate servicing.
- Physiotherapists are responsible and accountable for their
provision of physiotherapy services and for the relevant knowledge and
competence which such services require.
- Physiotherapists shall ensure that their practice is
conducted in a safe manner, that contra-indications are observed, that
safety tests are undertaken and recorded, and that equipment meets
health and safety requirements.
- Physiotherapists shall not delegate any activity which requires the unique skill, knowledge and judgement of a physiotherapist.
- Physiotherapists shall accept responsibility for all treatment provided by others acting under their supervision.
- Physiotherapists shall, when teaching physiotherapy skills to
others, ensure that they do not undermine the practice or professional
standards of physiotherapy.
- Physiotherapists shall keep a confidential record for every
client to allow for the effective evaluation of the client's progress
and the physiotherapist's practice.
- Physiotherapists have the right to refuse to provide a
service where there are reasonable grounds for doing so especially
when, in their opinion, it is not in the best interests of the client.
- Physiotherapists shall have adequate personal professional indemnity insurance.
-
- APA members shall strive for standards of excellence in all aspects of physiotherapy practice,
education, research and promotion.
- Physiotherapists shall be aware of and measure their conformance with currently accepted standards of practice.
- Physiotherapists shall participate in continuing professional
development to enhance their basic skills and knowledge and to generate
new knowledge.
- Physiotherapists shall support research, including the
measurement and evaluation of the outcomes of physiotherapy treatment,
which contributes to improved client care.
- Physiotherapists shall support high quality education in academic and clinical settings.
- Physiotherapists engaged in research shall abide by the
accepted rules governing the ethical conduct of research and shall
share their learning, especially in journals and conference
presentations.
- Physiotherapists shall participate in peer review and other
forms of practice evaluation for the purpose of continuous quality
improvement and shall have the right to limit the disclosure of related
information.
-
- APA members shall respect the confidentiality and security of client information.
- Clients have the right to confidentiality and this right shall
encompass all client information including attendance for treatment.
- Physiotherapists shall ensure that all staff under their supervision also respect client confidentiality.
- Physiotherapists shall keep a confidential record for every
client which is complete, legible, understandable and held securely for
at least the period required by law.
- Physiotherapists shall not disclose any information about a
client to a third party without the client's permission, unless such
disclosure is required by law.
-
- APA members shall provide accurate information about physiotherapy to clients and the general community.
- Clients have the right to appropriate, objective, truthful and
understandable information about their condition and about proposed
physiotherapy procedures and programs, including expected benefits,
perceived risks, alternatives, costs and fees, to enable an informed
consent to be given or withheld.
- Where a client is unable to give effective consent to
treatment, information shall be supplied to and consent obtained from
an appropriate person acting on behalf of the client.
- Physiotherapists advertising their services shall not make
false or misleading claims or otherwise bring the physiotherapy
profession into disrepute.
- Physiotherapists shall use only titles which correctly describe their professional status or expertise.
- Only Fellows of the Australian College of Physiotherapists are
entitled to use the term ‘Specialist' or any of its derivatives.
-
- APA members shall communicate and co-operate with colleagues and
other health care providers and agencies in the best interests of their
clients and the community.
- Clients have the right to expect that physiotherapists will
communicate appropriately with professional colleagues and other
relevant persons or agencies, to maximise the benefits of physiotherapy
services provided.
- Clients have the right to be referred to more suitably qualified practitioners whenever that course is clinically appropriate.
- Physiotherapists shall respect client privacy during the exchange of client information within multidisciplinary teams.
- Physiotherapists have the right to expect co-operation from their colleagues.
- Physiotherapists should ensure that any public debate be
conducted objectively and in the best interests of their clients and
the general community.
-
- APA members shall contribute to the development and implementation of health services which
enhance the health status of the community.
- Physiotherapists shall participate in the planning and
implementation of services designed to provide optimum health care for
the community.
- Physiotherapists shall work toward achieving justice in the provision of health care for all people.
- Physiotherapists shall participate in the ongoing measurement and evaluation of the outcomes of physiotherapy treatment.
- The physiotherapy profession shall encourage the innovative
extension of its scope of practice provided such development is based
on evidence of efficacy and safety.
- Physiotherapists shall contribute to public education
programs which provide information about the efficacy of physiotherapy
intervention.
- Physiotherapists shall ensure that their physiotherapy
service and fee schedules are based on fair and reasonable
considerations.
-
- APA members shall act in a manner which reflects well on the physiotherapy profession.
- An APA member represents the physiotherapy profession and,
accordingly, is expected to behave in a manner that will enhance the
honour and well-being of the profession.
- Physiotherapists shall apply fair and reasonable business principles when dealing with clients and others.
- Physiotherapists shall not sell, supply, endorse or promote
the sale of services or goods in ways which exploit their professional
relationships with clients.
- Physiotherapists shall not condone or associate with
unethical practice and shall make reasonable efforts to refer evidence
of inappropriate or unethical behaviour to the relevant authorities.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Listen to this podcast from G.P to the Stars, 6PR and HBF Doctor, Duncan Jefferson as he talks about some shoulder trouble he was having and what he discovered when he did some research about the possible remedies. I wonder if you can guess where he chooses to attend for physiotherapy treatment.
Click here to listen to the podcast. Select the Medical Minute titled "Medical Minute: Shoulder troubles". |
|
Read more...
|
|
|
|
