Principles of professional ethics and standards of conduct for complementary therapy

Complementary therapists respect the principles of professional ethics and standards of conduct detailed below in their work:

Autonomy
They respect and support the right to self-determination, personal responsibility, dignity and integrity of the client.

Providing a benefit

They act to the best of their knowledge and belief to stimulate the client’s physical, mental and social resources and to support them in their personal healing process.

Prevention of harm

They avoid actions that could harm the client’s physical and mental health. They recommend that they consult a doctor or other specialists when indicated.

Equal treatment

They treat all people in the same way, regardless of their origin, sex, social background, religion, nationality and political conviction.

Proportionality

They act and decide, within the scope of the client’s possibilities and limits, as the situation requires.

Responsibility
They assume responsibility towards:

  • the client
  • service providers and their registration bodies
  • the profession and their colleagues
  • the public and the healthcare system
  • themselves.

Professional competence and limitations

  • They work diligently, effectively and cost-effectively, according to professional standards, and only use treatment methods for which they have acquired the necessary skills.
  • They analyse their activity and make use of intervision and supervision.
  • They continuously develop the quality of their work and engage in further training.
  • They document their activity according to professional standards.
  • They respect their professional and personal limits and their resources. They do not make medical diagnoses, they work without piercing the skin and they do not dispense any medication.

Relationship of trust with the client

  • They offer a confidential space characterised by empathy and openness where change processes can take place.
  • They ensure that the client receives all relevant information for the therapy in good time: programme, method and fees.
  • They request explicit consent for their activity in the sense of ‘informed consent’.
  • They guarantee strict confidentiality and comply with data protection provisions and professional secrecy.

Public interventions

  • They do not make promises of healing.
  • They take into account that their public interventions have an impact on the profession and influence public health behaviour.

Collaboration within the healthcare system

  • They work respectfully with the client’s reference persons, with their colleagues and with other professional groups.
  • They do not interfere with other therapies.
  • They draw up treatment protocols as required and issue correct invoices.