Health and Disability Services Complaints Office (HaDSCO) prepares to implement the National Code of Conduct for health care workers

Implementation of the National Code of Conduct for health care workers (National Code) in Western Australia has progressed another step closer, with the passing of the Health and Disability Services (Complaints) Amendment Act 2022 by the Western Australian Parliament on 28 October 2022.

HaDSCO will have responsibility to implement the National Code of Conduct for health care workers through receiving complaints, undertaking investigations and issuing Prohibition Orders when necessary, with implementation expected to occur by early 2023.

The National Code will apply to individuals providing a health service who are not otherwise included in the 16 health professions that are currently regulated by the National Registration Accreditation Scheme (NRAS), or who provide services unrelated to their registration.

This can include counsellors, dieticians, doulas, kinesiologists, massage therapists, naturopaths, nutritionists, psychotherapists, reiki practitioners, social workers, speech pathologists and other allied, alternative and community health services.

The National Code was agreed by the former Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Health Council and contains 17 clauses as standards of conduct that such types of health care workers will be required to comply with.

Amongst other things, the National Code will require unregistered health care workers to:

• Provide services in a safe and ethical manner, including not providing health care of a type outside of their experience or training or services they are not qualified to provide
  
  
• Not make claims to cure certain illnesses
  
  
• Not financially exploit clients
  
  
• Not engage in sexual misconduct or improper personal relationships with a client
  
  
• Be covered by appropriate professional indemnity insurance, and
  
  
• Display the code clauses and information about how to make a complaint.

For further details, see our information sheet about the National Code of Conduct for health care workers.