Code of Practice and Standards
For our Terms and Conditions, please click here
Interpersonal skills:
Be polite and considerate with clients. Listen to clients and respect their concerns and preferences. Give clients information they need in a way they can understand. Work in partnership with clients to find the best treatment for them. Obtain client’s informed consent before commencing treatment . Acknowledge your client’s individuality in how you treat them .
Privacy:
Use appropriate draping to preserve the dignity and modesty of the client. Keep all communication between client and therapist confidential unless given specific permission to share. Keep written clinic records secure in locked cabinet. Use appropriate IT security via up-to-date antivirus and firewall software when using computer records. Ensure that the clinic space is easily accessible and maintains the privacy of the client. . Obtain client’s consent prior to posting on social media.
Client Health:
On first consultation get client to complete and sign a client history information sheet and update where required. Inform client during session on what treatment will be provided and continue to monitor and update where required. Assess pressure, tissue tolerance and comfort levels during sessions and communicate with client on an ongoing basis. Use appropriate assessment techniques and measures to assess client needs.
Hygiene and Health:
Keep the clinic in a tidy and hygienic condition. Maintain a high standard of personal hygiene and dress in an appropriate professional manner. Therapist will never knowingly work on a client if they believe they may pass on an illness or infection. Use gloves where necessary as part of infection control e.g. intraoral or intranasal work and if therapist has any cuts or lesions.
Education:
Obtain and maintain professional knowledge and skills. Work within the Scope of Practice for level of qualification. Possess the skills to run a small business in a competent manner.
Safety & Quality in Practice:
Be able to formulate and deliver a justifiable treatment plan or refer where necessary. Ensure that your client records are full, accurate and completed promptly. Keep within Scope of Practice. Work with Evidence Informed Practice and ensure that clients are not given inaccurate or out-of-date information.
Professionalism:
Ensure that beliefs and values do not prejudice client care. Comply with equality and anti-discrimination laws. Respect clients’ rights to privacy and confidentiality. Be open and honest when dealing with clients and colleagues and respond quickly to complaints. Ensure any problem with one’s own health does not affect clients. Be honest and trustworthy in financial dealings whether personal or professional. Recognise the potential contributions that other health providers can make to the wellbeing of a client. Effectively participate in the planning, implementation and evaluation of interprofessional approaches to client care, where such approaches are appropriate and available. Support colleagues and cooperate with them to enhance client care. Keep comments about colleagues or other health providers honest, accurate and valid. Act with integrity in the professional practice. Uphold the reputation of the profession through good conduct. Abide by the Health and Disability Commissioners Code of Rights Comply with health and safety regulations where applicable.
Legal and Cultural Requirements:
Have an understanding of The Treaty of Waitangi and its implications for culturally safe practice. Have an understanding of the various laws applying to massage therapy in NZ. Be aware of the referral process for complaints to the Health and Disabilities Commissioner. Comply with any bylaws pertaining to massage therapy in your area. Be aware of cultural appropriateness and respect in order to meet clients’ needs
Code of Ethics
Client Relationships Practitioners will:
Acknowledge the inherent worth and individuality of each person by not discriminating or behaving in any prejudicial manner with clients.
Provide draping and explanation sufficient to meet the client’s needs for comfort and privacy.
Respect the client’s boundaries with regard to privacy, disclosure, emotional expression and beliefs.
Ensure informed client consent has been obtained prior to massage.
Maintain open communication throughout the massage session ensuring ongoing informed client consent, explaining rationale for proposed Massage.
Serve the best interests of their clients and provide best practice quality of service.
Respect the confidence of their client, and diagnostic findings acquired during consultation and/or treatment shall not be divulged to anyone without the client’s consent, except when required by law or where failure to do so would constitute a menace or danger to the client or another member of the community.
Acknowledge the limitations of their skills and, when necessary, refer clients to the appropriate qualified health care professions.
Practitioners will not:
Endanger the physical, mental or emotional health, wellbeing or safety of a client.
Engage in sexual conduct with a client.
Professionalism Practitioners will:
Refrain from using any mind-altering drugs, alcohol or intoxicants prior to, or during treatments.
Maintain their premises in a clean, hygienic condition and keep them in good repair.
Follow personal hygiene and dress code principles so as not to cause offense to the client or the profession. • Demonstrate a commitment to the highest quality of massage service.
Clearly display and/or disclose policies and fees in advance of services.
Respect the right of any client to refuse, modify or terminate massage services at any time before or during the massage, regardless of prior consent to the contrary.
Act in a professional manner by engaging in respectful communication and behavior with colleagues.
Practitioners will not:
Knowingly interfere with any ongoing treatment instigated by another practitioner.
Criticise the work of other therapists.
Speak or write disrespectfully of colleagues either publicly or to clients.
Be affiliated with, or employed by, any therapeutic massage business that utilises any form of sexual suggestiveness or explicit sexuality in its advertising or promotion of services, or in the actual practice of its services.
Scope of Practice / Appropriate Techniques Practitioners will:
Represent their education, training, qualifications, and abilities honestly
At all times ensure that the treatment they provide conforms to the relevant scope of practice within their own scope of practice.
Ensure that the techniques they employ are the most appropriate for the condition presented by the client.
Practitioners will not:Perform bony manipulations or adjustments to the human skeletal structure or diagnose, prescribe, or provide any other service, procedure or therapy, unless they are specifically trained and authorised to do so.
Image / Advertising Claims Practitioners will:
Strive to project a professional image for themselves, their business or place of employment, and the profession in general.
Display this Code of Ethics in a prominent position for public viewing within their clinic at all times. Code of Ethics shall not service as an endorsement of such practise or value. Responsibility for upholding the Code rests with the practitioner.
Massage therapy in New Zealand has currently no compulsory professional organisational membership requirements. A voluntary organisation is supported by individual practices and do not form a ‘register’ of any kind, despite this wording being used on their website MassageNZ , is part of AHANZ , but not part of HPCA regulated professions as defined by the Ministry of Health, hence falling under NRHP and governed by HDC. The full text of the Health and Disability code can be found here
The Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights provides the following 10 rights:
The right to be treated with respect.
The right to freedom from discrimination, coercion, harassment, and exploitation.
The right to dignity and independence.
The right to services of an appropriate standard.
The right to effective communication.
The right to be fully informed.
The right to make an informed choice and give informed consent.
The right to support.
Rights in respect of teaching or research.
The right to complain.
