New standards for physiotherapy
New standards for physiotherapy
Physiotherapy Board Media
Release - 5 May, 2018
The Physiotherapy Board has
today launched the first ever comprehensive set of standards
for the profession in New Zealand.
The 14
Physiotherapy Standards, which are designed to guide
practitioners and protect public safety, cover areas
including sexual boundaries, advertising, treatment of
friends and whānau, and informed
consent.
Physiotherapy Board Chair Janice Mueller,
says the Standards are a critical part of ensuring the
public can have confidence in the profession. “We have
seen a significant increase in complaints over recent years
which, while small relative to the number of practitioners,
has demonstrated there is a need for a comprehensive and
clear set of standards.
“We have developed these
standards in consultation with the profession and other
health regulators and we are confident they represent a
strong set of minimum standards that will help guide
physiotherapists in their practice and provide the public
with concrete expectations of quality of
care.
“Their release represents the latest step in a
five year project to modernise the professional and practice
framework for physiotherapy. This has also included revising
and updating the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct,
which we have done jointly with Physiotherapy New Zealand,
and developing Bi-National practice thresholds with our
Australian counterpart.
“It it vital to the future
and credibility of the profession that we provide the public
with safe and trustworthy care. The Standards we have
released today will help do just
that.”
ENDS