National Code of Conduct for Health Care Workers in Western Australia – Consultation
At the Council of Australian Government (COAG) Health Council meeting on 17 April 2015, Health Ministers agreed to the terms of the first National Code of Conduct for Health Care Workers (National Code). The purpose of the National Code is to protect the public by setting minimum standards of conduct and practice for all public and private health care workers who are not registered under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme for health practitioners or who provide services unrelated to their registration or who are student or volunteer health care workers.
The National Code will set standards against which disciplinary action can be taken, and if necessary, a prohibition order issued in circumstances where a health care worker’s continued practice presents a serious risk to public health and safety.
Professions that will be captured by the National Code include, but are not limited to, massage therapists, dieticians, speech pathologists, counsellors and other types of allied, alternative and community health services.
For Western Australia, HaDSCO will be the complaints entity responsible for receiving complaints relating to health care workers covered by the National Code.
Consultation was undertaken at the national level in 2011 and 2014 as part of developing the terms of the National Code. The scope of this consultation was the specific issues associated with implementation of the National Code in Western Australia and the legislative changes required to give effect to the COAG Health Council’s decision.
In December 2017, HaDSCO sought feedback, comment and suggestions on a proposed policy framework to implement the National Code of Conduct for Health Care Workers (National Code) in Western Australia.
Feedback obtained during the 2017 consultation was used to guide the development of a policy position for the implementation of the National Code in Western Australia. Timing for the implementation of the National Code in Western Australia is dependent on legislative change. Please direct queries relating to the National Code to Ms Erica John, Manager, Strategy and Engagement or Mr Kieran Handmer, Project Officer.
Download the HaDSCO National Code of Conduct for Health Care Workers Proposed Policy Framework.