S.I. No. 497/2016 - Physiotherapists Registration Board Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics Bye-Law 2016.

1. Identify the problem and gather as much information as you can. Ask yourself if it is an ethical, professional, clinical or legal problem.

2. Review the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics and identify the relevant parts. Check other professional guidelines too such as those of the Health Service Executive or government departments as well as any relevant legislation.

3. Discuss the issue with professional colleagues.

4. Consider asking your professional body for advice.

5. Evaluate the rights, responsibilities and welfare of everyone affected. Remember that your first obligation is to the service user.

6. Keep notes at each stage of the process.

7. Consider different solutions and decisions.

8. Evaluate and document the potential consequences of each option.

9. Choose the best solution or decision based on your professional judgment.

10. Put the solution or decision into practice, informing all the people affected.

11. Remember that you are responsible, as an autonomous practitioner, for the consequences of the solution or decision that you choose.

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GIVEN under the seal of the Physiotherapists Registration Board

28 September 2016.

ANNE HORGAN,

Chairperson, Physiotherapists Registration Board.

and

RUTH WHELAN,

Member, Physiotherapists Registration Board.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the bye-law and does not purport to be a legal interpretation).

This bye-law adopts the Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics agreed by the Physiotherapists Registration Board.

12. Teach, supervise and assess students and other professionals.

13. Supervise tasks that you give to others.

14. Keep accurate records.

15. Address health and safety risks.

16. Address risks to service users.

Ethics

17. Demonstrate ethical awareness

17.1

You must

a. make sure you read and understand this Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics.

17.2

You must not

a. enter into any agreement or contract or accept any gift that might cause you to breach this Code.

17.3

You should

a. be aware of the wider need to use limited resources as efficiently and responsibly as is practicable. You have a duty to assist in the efficient and effective use of resources and to give advice on their appropriate allocation, whilst balancing your duty of care to the individual.

b. take particular care when ethical issues arise. (Please see Appendix A for a suggested procedure for ethical decision-making).

18. Respect the rights and dignity of people

18.1

You must

a. always show, through your practice and conduct, respect for the rights, modesty and dignity of all individuals.

18.2

You must not

a. in particular, discriminate against a person on the basis of

• gender,

• family status,

• civil status,

• age,

• disability,

• sexual orientation,

• religion,

• ethnicity, or

• membership of the Traveller Community;

as identified under the Equal Status Act, as updated from time to time.

19. Carry out your duties in a professional and ethical way

19.1

You must

a. carry out your duties and responsibilities in a professional and ethical way to protect the public;

b. always behave with integrity and honesty;

c. recognise that if there is a conflict of interest between the service user and the safeguarding of children or other vulnerable people, safeguarding should take precedence;

d. recognise that if there is a conflict between this Code of Professional Conduct and Ethics and your work environment, your obligation is to the Code.

19.2

You must not

a. misrepresent yourself or any product you promote;

b. exploit service users for commercial gain.

20. Undertake research in an ethical manner

20.1

You must

a. protect and destroy data in line with relevant legislation;

b. obtain informed consent from research participants in line with the procedures laid down by the relevant research ethics committees;

c. treat all information gathered during the research confidentially and make sure that participants cannot be identified through their data;

d. make sure you do not distort or misuse clinical or research findings;

e. make sure that a service user’s refusal to take part in research does not influence the delivery of service to that service user in any way.

20.2

You should

a. take part in research or support the research of others where possible;

b. submit research proposals to the relevant research ethics committees and get ethical approval before starting the research;

c. disseminate or circulate the research findings widely to further the evidence base of the profession and to improve service user examination and treatment;

d. follow accepted guidelines in scientific journals concerning intellectual property, copyright and acknowledging the work of others.

21. Make sure that any advertising is truthful, accurate and lawful

21.1

You should

a. make sure that any advertising is truthful, accurate, lawful and does not mislead;

b. provide full and accurate fee information to the service user or potential services user, in advance of agreeing to provide your services.

Appendix A

Suggested procedure for ethical decision-making

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of

30

th September

, 2016.

The Physiotherapists Registration Board, in exercise of the powers conferred in it by

section 31

of the

Health and Social Care Professionals Act 2005

(as amended), with the approval of the Health and Social Care Professionals Council, hereby makes the following bye-law