The National Code of Conduct for Health Care Workers applies to general health service providers that are not regulated by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and those members that provide services that are not registered by AHPRA..
The Code of Conduct represents the minimum legal standards of conduct that all general health service providers must comply with and aims to strengthen regulation of unregistered health care workers across all States and Territories, and is intended to provide mutual recognition of prohibition orders between States and Territories.
All health care workers must display or make available a copy of the National Code along with information for complaints at practicing locations and/or the practice website.
The retrospective state bodies have powers to take action in relation to health care workers which can include the issuing of interim prohibition orders or prohibition orders respectively. A nationally accessible web-based register of prohibition orders is also being established to enable cross jurisdiction searching of prohibition orders issued against health practitioners.
The National Code obligations are:
| 1. Healthcare workers must provide health services in a safe and ethical manner and ensure all healthcare workers practice within accepted professional standards including experience, training and qualifications | 10: Healthcare workers not to practice under the influence of alcohol or drugs |
| 2: Healthcare workers must obtain consent for treatment and accept the rights of their clients to make informed choices in relation to their health care | 11: Healthcare workers with certain mental or physical impairment |
| 3: Must provide appropriate conduct in relation to treatment advice | 12: Healthcare workers not to financially exploit clients |
| 4: Healthcare workers to report concerns about treatment or care provided by other health care workers | 13: Healthcare workers not to engage in sexual misconduct |
| 5: Healthcare workers to take appropriate action in response to adverse events | 14: Healthcare workers to comply with relevant privacy laws |
| 6: Healthcare workers to adopt standard precautions for infection control | 15: Healthcare workers to keep appropriate records |
| 7: Healthcare workers diagnosed with infectious medical conditions | 16: Healthcare workers to be covered by appropriate insurance |
| 8: Healthcare workers not to make claims to cure certain serious illnesses and claims about its ability to treat illnesses | 17: Healthcare workers must display code and other information in print or on the organisation’s website |
| 9: Healthcare workers not to misinform their clients about the organisation’s products and services or healthcare workers’ qualifications or training |
Healthcare workers must have appropriate policies and procedures to ensure the safe and secure storage, supply and administration, and record keeping of medicines required under legislation, such as the Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act 1966
| Queensland | New South Wales | Victoria |
|---|---|---|
| The terms for a National Code of Conduct for Health Care workers (the National Code) was endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments’ (COAG) health ministers on 17 April 2015. | The NSW code of obligations for non-registered health practitioners are set out in | The Victorian code of obligations are set out in |
| The National Code for Health Care Workers (Queensland) (the Queensland Code) (PDF, 200kB) is recognised under the Health Ombudsman Regulation 2014 / Health Ombudsman Act 2013 with all details to be found here: www.health.qld.gov.au/system-governance/policies-standards/national-code-of-conduct | Schedule 3 of the Public Health Regulation / Health Care Complaints Act 1993. Health Practitioner Regulation National Law (NSW) Public Health Regulation, Schedule 3 (Code of conduct for non-registered health practitioners) Public Health Regulation, Schedule 4 (Code of conduct for health organisations) | Schedule 2 of the Health Complaints Act 2016. |
| Any concerns in relation to a health care worker’s practice in relation to the National Code can be raised locally for resolution reported as a complaint to the Office of the Health Ombudsman | To make a complaint about any NSW health service provider, contact the Health Care Complaints Commissioner: hcc.nsw.gov.au | To make a complaint about any Victorian health service provider, contact the Health Complaints Commissioner: hcc.vic.gov.au |
| Queensland currently recognises prohibition orders issued in New South Wales and South Australia, and this will expand as other States and Territories implement the National Code Any concerns in relation to a health care worker’s practice in relation to the National Code can be raised locally for resolution or | Phone: 1800 043 159 | Phone: 1300 582 113 |