Professional and Ethical Practice

Professional and Ethical Practitioner

As professional and ethical practitioners, physiotherapists are committed to standards of behaviour that comply with their legal, professional and ethical obligations, and management of their physical and mental health.

Browse our list of resources below to upskill in this area.

Try our Competency Self-Assessment Questionnaire to rate your confidence on the 7 core physiotherapy competencies. If you find areas where you need to upskill, add these to your Professional Development Plan. Learn more about Professional and Ethical Practice Competencies.

Physio Academy Learning Resources

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Other Learning Resources

New Zealand Law

Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights	https://www.legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/1996/0078/latest/whole.html
Health Information Privacy Code	https://www.privacy.org.nz/assets/Files/Codes-of-Practice-materials/Health-Information-Privacy-Code-1994-plus-amendments.pdf
Retention of Health Information Regulations	http://legislation.govt.nz/regulation/public/1996/0343/latest/DLM225616.html

New Zealand Physiotherapy Board Resources

More information about the Physiotherapy Standards Framework can be found here.

Aotearoa NZ Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct	This provides a foundation for the professional behaviour expected of physiotherapists in Aotearoa New Zealand. https://www.physioboard.org.nz/standards/aotearoa-new-zealand-physiotherapy-code-of-ethics-and-professional-conduct
Sports Physiotherapy Code of Conduct	Upload pdf of this as a downloadable file. The file can be found here: https://sportsphysiotherapy.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Sports-Physiotherapy-Code-of-Conduct_v-Dec-2013.pdf
Practice Thresholds	The Physiotherapy practice thresholds describe the threshold competence required for initial and continuing registration as a physiotherapist in both Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. https://www.physioboard.org.nz/standards/physiotherapy-thresholds
Professional Standards	These standards detail the expected minimum standards of practice in physiotherapy in New Zealand. Combined with the Aotearoa NZ Code of Ethics and practice thresholds, they describe what the public and the profession expect of a competent physiotherapist.
Advertising standard:	https://www.physioboard.org.nz/standards/physiotherapy-standards/advertising-standard
Cultural competence standard:	https://www.physioboard.org.nz/standards/physiotherapy-standards/cultural-competence-standard
Giving advice about medications:	https://www.physioboard.org.nz/standards/physiotherapy-standards/giving-advice-about-medication-standard
Informed consent:	https://www.physioboard.org.nz/standards/physiotherapy-standards/informed-consent-standard
Internet and electronic communication:	https://www.physioboard.org.nz/standards/physiotherapy-standards/internet-and-electronic-communication-standard
Involvement of an additional person during a consultation:	https://www.physioboard.org.nz/standards/physiotherapy-standards/involvement-of-an-additional-person-during-a-consultation-standard
Non-treating physiotherapists performing assessments of patients for third parties:	https://www.physioboard.org.nz/standards/physiotherapy-standards/non-treating-physiotherapists-performing-assessments-of-patients-for-third-parties-standard
Physiotherapists administering prescription medicines	https://www.physioboard.org.nz/standards/physiotherapy-standards/physiotherapists-administering-prescription-medicines-standard
Physiotherapists practicing in a defined field of interest:	https://www.physioboard.org.nz/standards/physiotherapy-standards/physiotherapists-practising-in-a-defined-field-standard
Serious event:	https://www.physioboard.org.nz/standards/physiotherapy-standards/serious-event-standard
Sexual and emotional boundaries:	https://www.physioboard.org.nz/standards/physiotherapy-standards/sexual-and-emotional-boundaries-standard
Sports Physiotherapy:	https://www.physioboard.org.nz/standards/physiotherapy-standards/sports-physiotherapist-practice-standard
Telehealth:	https://www.physioboard.org.nz/standards/physiotherapy-standards/telehealth-standard
Treatment of whānau, family members and others close to you:	https://www.physioboard.org.nz/standards/physiotherapy-standards/treatment-of-whanau-family-members-and-others-close-to-you-standard
Use of physiotherapy titles:	https://www.physioboard.org.nz/standards/physiotherapy-standards/use-of-physiotherapy-titles-standard

New Zealand Physiotherapy Board Resources

Physiotherapy Board Complaints Processes:

https://www.physioboard.org.nz/about-us/complaints-notifications

To register a complaint or concern:

https://www.physioboard.org.nz/about-us/complaints-notifications/register-a-complaint-or-concern

Family Violence and Information Sharing:

Physiotherapists in NZ: If, in the course of practicing you receive information about family violence you are able to pass this information on to other social service practitioners. More information and contact details are provided on the page link below.

https://www.physioboard.org.nz/resources/legislation/family-violence-and-information-sharing

Physiotherapy New Zealand Resources

For PNZ members only

You need to be a member of Physiotherapy New Zealand to see these resources and be logged in to the member page.

Competency and Professional Conduct : PNZ

Hand washing
Do I have to treat someone
Disruptive patients

ACC Resources

Working with ACC

ACC have a series for "Watch and Learn Webinars"

Watch the "Beginners Guide to ACC for Allied Health Providers" webinar here.

You will also find other learning modules for those 'new to ACC', information for receptionists and practice managers about working with ACC and other clinical updates and resources.