For our NSW Members our ARM “Code of Ethics” is to be upheld in conjunction with NSW “Code of Conduct”, which came into force in NSW on the 1st August 2008.
As a practitioner with the Association, I shall at all times abide by the following:
- Treat the client/patient with the utmost respect and care.
- Maintain a high standard of professional competency.
- Develop my professional knowledge and skills.
- Act with honesty, integrity and responsibility.
- Represent my practice in an honest, accurate and truthful manner.
- Dress and conduct myself in a professional manner so as to comply with acceptable codes of behaviour and decency.
- Ensure that I am medically, physically and psychologically fit to practice massage.
- Use only the skills in which I am competently trained and certified.
- Ensure client/patient confidentiality and privacy.
- Ensure the client/patient/carer understands the information relating to the treatment recommended for their condition and treatment is only commenced with their informed consent.
- Concede the client/patient/carer has the right to accept or refuse treatment at any time.
- Will provide reasonable access for the client/patient to review their personal records.
- Ensure a high standard of personal and practice hygiene.
- Never criticize a Practitioner or health practitioner in the presence of the client/patient.
- Display a copy of this Code of Ethics in my practice so as to be clearly visible to all clients/patients and ensure that anyone employed by me will adhere to this Code.
- Upon being found to be in breach of the Rules of the Association and/or Code of Ethics and/or Code of Practice I will voluntarily surrender and return all my membership certificates and Code of Ethics upon request from the Association.
Addendum/Clarification
The following rules were unanimously agreed to at a General Meeting held at Strathfield on 17/3/1991, and incorporated in our constitution.
To minimise the confusion caused by massage parlours and brothels using the word "MASSAGE", the Association will conduct a co-ordinated campaign to alert the public to the fact that:
"The MASSAGE INDUSTRY is in no way associated with such activities, and consequently:
- The public may seek attention from our members for purely therapeutic purposes.
- The co-ordination of this campaign will be controlled by the Association (particularly in relation to all major effects in this regard),
- Any member working in a situation where any of the details listed below apply (point 'A' to 'G'), will immediately forfeit their membership, (see Clause 16 of our Code of Ethics), and due to the necessity to protect the Association's credibility, such membership will not be open to reconsideration for at least five years at which time a unanimous agreement by the Association's Committee may rule on whether a reconsideration may be appropriate.
Details Pertinent To The Above Clause
- (A) Nude or topless staff
- (B) Hand relief
- (C) Other sexual favours
- (D) Incompetent massage
- (E) Shared showers, spas, etc.
- (F) Other activities which contravene the Association's Code of Ethics
- (G) Other activities, which at any time, the Association or the Committee may deem to be contrary to the basic welfare, dignity, integrity, or legal or ethical standards of the Massage Industry, or our Association."