Ahpra and the National Boards issue obligations reminder

Following the high-profile ‘Bankstown nurses’ incident, the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) and the National Boards have issued a joint statement reminding registered health practitioners of their obligations under their codes of conduct and ethics to provide care that is free of discrimination and racism. These recent events have underlined the importance of the codes and why it is vital for practitioners to maintain the trust of the entire community, without exception, Ahpra and the National Boards said in its statement.

The codes of conduct and ethics set out the conduct expectations, legal requirements and professional behaviour for registered health practitioners in Australia, with the codes underpinning the requirements for the delivery of safe and respectful practice. In its statement, Ahpra and the National Boards said:

“The Code of Conduct for nurses, for example, states that nurses must:

• respect diverse cultures, beliefs, gender identities, sexualities and experiences of people, including among team members
• adopt practices that respect diversity, avoid bias, discrimination and racism, and challenge belief based upon assumption.
   

The codes for all professions include similar requirements.”

Practitioners are also reminded that they must comply with the standards of their workplace and adopt practices that foster an inclusive, respectful and safe healthcare environment. Registered practitioners must be familiar with the Code of Conduct for their profession and comply with these expectations.

As to social media use, Ahpra and the National Boards have published information to help registered practitioners understand and meet their obligations. Though the published guidance recognises the freedom of expression for practitioners and their right to communicate — including advocating for causes via social media — this is provided their activities do not involve abuse or discrimination against others, or present a risk to the public.

“Safe healthcare relies on trust between patients and practitioners. Discrimination and racism erode that trust and put lives at risk,” Ahpra and the National Boards said in its statement. “There is no place for discrimination, racism or intolerance in healthcare.”

Regarding the high-profile ‘Bankstown nurses’ incident, Ahpra and the National Boards stated that the nurses have been suspended by New South Wales authorities and this suspension applies nationally. “Boards can suspend practitioners where there is an immediate risk to the public,” Ahpra and the National Boards also stated. “While not every matter will meet the threshold for regulatory action, every notification is taken seriously. As statutory authorities, our decisions must be based on thorough examination of all relevant material and satisfy legal thresholds.”

The social media guidance is available here, via the Ahpra website. It includes case examples of social media activities that are and are not likely to warrant investigation.

National Boards codes of conduct and ethics are available here, via the Ahpra website.

If you have a concern about discrimination or unsafe practice, you can call Ahpra on 1300 419 495 or lodge a notification online here, via the Ahpra website.

Sentiments expressed on social media and more broadly can be distressing for practitioners. Support services are available here, via the Ahpra website.

Image credit: iStock.com/FatCamera