Australian Natural Therapists
Association
Code of Ethics
This is Section 4 of the ANTA Code
of Ethics, for a full copy, please
Download a PDF image of the full document.
4.1 THE PRACTITIONER & THE PATIENT
4.1.1 Patient Care
The Practitioner shall:
4.1.1.1 Practise only the Natural
Therapies and Traditional Medicine disciplines in
which a qualification is held, and only to the scope of that qualification.
4.1.1.2 Consider first the health
and wellbeing of the patient.
4.1.1.3 Do no harm; a Practitioner
shall do nothing that will injure the patient either
physically or emotionally.
4.1.1.4 Treat the patient with
compassion and respect.
4.1.1.5 Where the patient presenting
for treatment is a child ensure that the patient’s
parent or legal guardian gives written consent.
4.1.1.6 Approach health service as
collaboration between practitioner and patient.
4.1.1.7 Encourage the patient to
understand their responsibility to:
4.1.1.8 Practise according to the
principle of informed consent.
4.1.1.9 Practise with due diligence
the spirituality, philosophy, art and science of the
Natural Therapies and Traditional Medicine
disciplines in which accreditation is held.
4.1.1.10 Maintain a current
Professional Indemnity Insurance in accordance with
the policy guideline as decided by National Council
from time to time.
4.1.1.11 Maintain a current First
Aid Certificate in accordance with the policy
guideline as decided by National Council from time
to time.
4.1.1.12 Continue lifelong
self-education to maintain currency of the standard
of professional care.
4.1.1.13 Recognise professional
limitations and be prepared to refer a patient to
other health service practitioners, as appropriate.
4.1.1.14 When referring patients to
other health service practitioners, ensure to the
best of their ability, the appropriate
qualifications of that health service practitioner.
4.1.2 Patient Exploitation
The Practitioner shall:
4.1.2.1 Not exploit the patient in
any manner, for any reason.
4.1.2.2 Refrain from engaging in
sexual or romantic activity with the patient or the
patient’s parent or guardian.
4.1.2.3 Avoid non-sexual contact if
there is any reason to believe that the non-sexual
contact may be perceived as, or lead to, sexual
contact.
4.1.3 Patient Records
The Practitioner shall:
4.1.3.1 Maintain patient
confidentiality. Exceptions to this must be taken
very seriously. Exceptions may include:
-
with the explicit consent of the
patient;
-
where required by the law;
-
where there is a serious risk to
the patient or another person;
-
where part of approved research,
or
-
where there are overwhelming
societal interests.
4.1.3.2 Maintain accurate, complete
and up-to-date clinical records.
4.1.3.3 Protect and maintain the
confidentiality and security of patient records.
4.1.3.4 Ensure security of storage,
access and utilisation of patient information.
4.1.3.5 Retain all patient records
for the duration necessary to meet clinical needs or
as required by state or federal law.
4.1.3.6 Upon request by the patient,
provide the patient with access to and or copies of
records relevant to the patient.
4.1.3.7 Upon request by the patient,
forward copies of patient records relevant to the
patient to another practitioner
4.1.3.8 Upon request by the patient,
make available to another health service
practitioner a report of findings and treatment
relevant to the patient.
4.1.4 Practitioner - Patient
Relationship
The Practitioner shall:
4.1.4.1 Respect every patient’s
right to freely choose a practitioner, to accept or
reject advice and to make decisions about treatment
or procedures at all times.
4.1.4.2 Recognise that an
established therapeutic relationship between
practitioner and patient must be respected.
4.1.4.3 Refrain from denying
treatment to the patient because of a judgement
based on discrimination.
4.1.4.4 Inform the patient when a
personal moral judgement or religious belief alone
prevents recommendation of some form of therapy, so
that they may seek care elsewhere.
4.1.4.5 Recognise the patient’s
right to decline to enter into a therapeutic
relationship where there is a choice of health care
provider available.
4.1.4.6 Recognise the right to
decline to continue a therapeutic relationship.
4.1.4.6.1 Inform the patient that
the therapeutic relationship is withdrawn so that
the patient may seek care elsewhere.
4.1.4.6.2 Discontinue the
therapeutic relationship only if another health
service provider is available.
4.1.5 Financial Considerations
The Practitioner shall:
4.1.5.1 Place an appropriate value
on professional services when determining any fee.
4.1.5.2 Ensure that a current
schedule of fees is displayed and patients are made
aware of any or all relevant fees where possible.
4.1.5.3 Provide full disclosure when
referring the patient to institutions or services in
which a direct financial interest is held.
4.1.5.4 Place professional duties
and responsibilities to the patient above the
commercial interests of a practice or institution.
4.1.6 Clinical Research
The Practitioner shall:
4.1.6.1 Accept responsibility to
advance the Traditional Medicine & Natural Therapies
disciplines by participating in properly and
ethically developed research involving human
participants.
4.1.6.2 Where choosing to
participate in Clinical Research, the Practitioner
shall:
4.1.6.2.1 Ensure that responsible
human research committees appraise the scientific
merit and the ethical implications of the research.
4.1.6.2.2 Recognise that
considerations relating to the well-being of
individual participants in research take precedence
over the interests of research or society.
4.1.6.2.3 Ensure that all research
participants or their agents are fully informed and
have consented to participate in the study.
4.1.6.2.4 Refrain from using
coercion or unconscionable inducements as a means of
obtaining consent.
4.1.6.2.5 Inform treating
practitioners of the involvement of patients in any
research project, the nature of the project and its
ethical basis.
4.1.6.2.6 Respect the participant’s
right to withdraw from a study at any time without
prejudice to medical treatment.
4.1.6.2.7 Ensure that the patient’s
decision not to participate in a study does not
compromise the practitioner-patient relationship or
appropriate treatment and care.
4.1.6.2.8 Ensure that research
results are reviewed by an appropriate peer group
before public release.
4.1.7 Teaching in the Clinical
Environment
The Practitioner shall:
4.1.7.1 Honour their obligation to
pass on their professional knowledge and skills to
colleagues and students.
4.1.7.2 Before embarking on any
clinical teaching involving patients, ensure that
patients are fully informed and have consented to
participate.
4.1.7.3 Respect the patient’s right
to refuse or withdraw from participating in clinical
teaching at any time without compromising the
practitioner-patient relationship or appropriate
treatment and care.
4.1.7.4 Avoid compromising patient
care in any teaching exercise.
4.1.7.5 Ensure that the patient is
managed according to the best-practice diagnostic
and therapeutic methods and that the patient’s
comfort and dignity are maintained at all times.
4.1.7.6 Where relevant to clinical
care, ensure that it is the treating practitioner
who imparts feedback to the patient.
4.1.7.7 Refrain from exploiting, in
any way, students or colleagues under supervision.
4.1.7.8 Ensure the currency of
qualifications required to conduct clinical
teaching.
4.1.8 The Dying Patient
The Practitioner shall:
4.1.8.1 Respect the patient’s
autonomy regarding the management of their medical
condition including the refusal of treatment.
4.1.8.2 Recognise the need for
physical, psychological, emotional, and spiritual
support for the patient, the family and other carers
not only during the life of the patient, but also at
death.
4.2 THE PRACTITIONER & THE
PROFESSION
4.2.1 Professional Conduct
The Practitioner shall:
4.2.1.1 Build a professional
reputation based on integrity and ability.
4.2.1.2 Maintain a safe and hygienic
practice environment.
4.2.1.3 Recognise that their
personal conduct may affect their reputation and
that of their profession.
4.2.1.4 Refrain from making
frivolous or vexatious comments, which may
disadvantage the reputation of a colleague.
4.2.1.5 Where a patient alleges
unethical or unprofessional conduct by another
practitioner, respect the patient’s right to
complain and assist them to access the appropriate
complaints handling mechanism.
4.2.1.6 Accept responsibility for
personal psychological and physical well-being as it
may affect professional ability.
4.2.1.7 Not undertake to treat a
patient whilst professional judgement is potentially
impaired due to the effects of fatigue, illness or
substance.
4.2.1.8 Keep up-to-date on relevant
professional knowledge, codes of professional
practice and legal responsibilities.
4.2.1.9 Ensure that any therapeutic
or diagnostic advance is described and examined
through professional channels, and, if proven
beneficial, is made available to the profession at
large.
4.2.1.10 Recognise that when
providing any part of a professional service via a
telecommunications facility the absence of a
face-to-face meeting or physical examination means
that critical clinical information necessary for
safe and efficacious treatment is unavailable.
Practitioners shall therefore act within the
limitations of the telecommunication service and
refrain from prescribing medication.
4.2.2 Reporting Unethical Colleagues
The Practitioner shall:
4.2.2.1 Be obliged to report
suspected unethical or unprofessional conduct by a
colleague to the relevant body in accord with:
4.2.3 Referral to Other Health Service Professionals
The Practitioner shall:
4.2.3.1 Refer a patient to another
health service professional when it is believed that
the patient will benefit.
4.2.3.2 Consult or collaborate with
an appropriate colleague acceptable to the patient
if diagnosis or treatment is difficult or obscure,
or in response to a reasonable request by the
patient.
4.2.3.3 Take due care to refer to a
fellow healthcare professional only when the
referring practitioner is reasonably confident that
the services provided on referral will be performed
competently, within accepted professional standards
and within the law.
4.2.3.4 When referring a patient,
make available to the health service professional,
with the patient’s knowledge and consent, all
relevant information and indicate whether or not
they are to assume the continuing care of the
patient during their illness.
4.2.3.5 When another health service
professional has requested a professional opinion,
report in detail any findings and recommendations to
that practitioner.
4.2.3.6 Advise a patient with a
notifiable disease to seek immediate medical
attention.
4.2.3.7 Advise a patient if they
have a transmittable disease.
4.3 ADVERTISING
The Practitioner shall:
4.3.1.1 Adhere to all relevant
federal and state legislation advertising codes.
4.3.1.2 Confine advertising of
professional services to the presentation of
information reasonably needed by patients or
colleagues to make an informed decision about the
availability and appropriateness of the services.
4.3.1.3 Ensure that any announcement
or advertisement directed towards patients or
colleagues is demonstrably true in all respects.
Advertising should not bring the
profession into disrepute.
4.3.1.4 Advertising should not
compare one technique with another technique or
qualification of one to the other.
4.3.1.5 Exercise caution in public
endorsement of any particular commercial product or
service.
4.3.1.6 Be vigilant that
direct-to-consumer advertising of complementary
medicines and treatments:
-
Does not create false
expectations,
-
Does not promote self diagnosis
and self
-
treatment,
-
Does encourage consultation with
a suitably qualified complementary medicine
professional.
4.3.1.7 A member shall be
conscientious in enlightening the public regarding
the maintenance of good health, remembering that
quality of service shall be a measure of the
standing of the profession as a whole.
4.3.1.8 Not advertise official
positions, as office bearers of the Association, on
office stationery.
4.4 PROFESSIONAL INDEPENDENCE
The Practitioner shall:
4.4.1.1 Safeguard clinical
independence and professional integrity from
increased demands from society, third parties,
individual patients and governments in order to
provide high quality healthcare.
4.4.1.2 Protect clinical
independence, as it is essential when choosing the
best treatment for patients and defending patients’
health needs against all who would deny or restrict
necessary care.
4.4.1.3 Refrain from entering into
any contract with a colleague or organisation that
may conflict with professional integrity, clinical
independence or the primary obligation to the
patient.
4.4.1.4 Recognise the right to
refuse to carry out services which are considered to
be professionally unethical, against personal moral
convictions, or which are considered not to be in
the best interests of the patient.
4.4.1.5 Compete ethically among
colleagues and other health service practitioners on
the basis of quality of service, skill and
experience.
4.5 THE PRACTITIONER & SOCIETY
The Practitioner shall:
4.5.1.1 When it is suspected that an
adverse reaction has occurred as a result of a
complementary medicine or therapy, be obliged to
communicate that information to the appropriate
Authority.
4.5.1.2 Accept a personal
responsibility to act within the law and to conduct
businesses in accordance with Commonwealth and State
legislation.
4.5.1.3 Accept a share of the
profession’s responsibility to society in matters
relating to the health and safety of the public,
health education and legislation affecting the
health of the community.
4.5.1.4 When providing information
on Traditional Medicine and Natural Therapies to the
public, recognise a responsibility to give the
generally held opinions of the profession in a form
that is readily understood.
4.5.1.5 When presenting any personal
opinion, that is contrary to the generally held
opinion of the profession, indicate that this is the
case.
This was Section 4 of the ANTA
Code of Ethics, for a full copy, please
Download a PDF image of the full document |
