Code of Ethics
International Association of Trichologists Code of Ethics
Members must abide by this Code of Ethics.
In this code, reference to a member shall include Active Certified Members (Certified Trichologists) and Master Certified Members (Master Certified Trichologists).
No person is accepted for membership of I.A.T. unless he/she agrees to abide by the Code of Ethics as set forth by the association. Practicing members must carry adequate professional indemnity insurance.
GENERAL CONDUCT OF MEMBERS
Clause 1. All members will uphold the dignity and honour of the profession and shall conduct themselves and their practice in conformity with good taste and professional decorum.
Clause 2. All duly constituted medical and scientific bodies shall be respected and endeavours made to merit their esteem.
Clause 3. No member with only trichological qualifications shall give advice or treatment outside the scope of trichology.
Clause 4. A member shall not make or communicate in any way whatsoever to any client of his or to any person known by him to be a client of another member any criticism of the work or practice of another member.
Clause 5. A member who is or has been employed as an assistant by another person, firm or company, shall not circularise or otherwise attempt in any way to induce any client to leave his employer’s or former employer’s practice.
Clause 6. A member, whether in practice on his own account or as assistant, shall keep accurate records of all clients and the treatments, if any, given. In the event of the member selling or leaving his practice, these records must be handed over to his successor or employer (as the case may be). All client information must be treated confidentially.
DUTY OF CARE
Clause 7. The primary professional duty of practitioner is to competently assist the patient to optimum health, with the circumstances of the patient’s condition.
Clause 8. The practitioner shall always maintain the highest standards of professional conduct and duty of care to the patient.
Clause 9. Under no circumstances shall a practitioner knowingly undertake any action or treatment that would adversely affect the health of a patient or fellow human being.
PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
Clause 10. The practitioner shall have respect for the religious, spiritual, political and social views of any individual irrespective of race, age, sex, colour, ethnic origin, differing abilities, sexuality, creed, martial status, culture, political views or social standing.
Clause 11. Proper conduct must always be paramount in all circles.
PRACTITIONER’S RELATION WITH PATIENTS
Clause 12. Practitioners must behave with courtesy, respect, dignity and discretion. Their attitude must be competent and sympathetic, hopeful and positive, thus encouraging an uplift in the mental outlook of the patient and a belief in a progression towards good health practices.
Clause 13. A practitioner should not enter into an intimate or sexual relationship with a patient whilst the patient is under their care.
Clause 14. The practitioner is to recognise a responsibility to give the generally held opinions of the relevant discipline when interpreting and conveying scientific or empirical knowledge to patients or to the general public, and where one presents any personal opinion which is contrary to the generally held opinion of the discipline, clearly indicate that this is so.
Clause 15. A practitioner shall not provide false information on documents used for health fund rebate purposes.
Clause 16. The practitioner shall not use unsafe or improper practice.
Clause 17. Practitioners shall at all times show due respect and cooperate with practitioners or other disciplines.
Clause 18. Practitioners must never claim to “cure”. The possible therapeutic benefits may be described as “recovery”, but this must never be guaranteed.
Clause 19. A practitioner shall at no time take part in, or promote any activity, verbal or otherwise, which will reflect improperly or denigrate the standing of trichology or the International Association of Trichologists.
Clause 20. Practitioners should ensure that they are medically, physically and psychologically fit to practice.
Clause 21. A practitioner should not attend to a patient or clinic whilst under the influence of alcohol, drugs or other substance that would impair their judgement. It would be considered inappropriate for a practitioner to smoke or consume a tobacco product in the clinical setting.
Clause 22. A practitioner shall not use their professional connections or affiliations in an unconscionable manner.
Clause 23. A practitioner shall not knowingly breach the Commonwealth Therapeutic Goods Act and Regulations, or the equivalent State legislation.
Clause 24. A practitioner shall be aware of notifiable diseases pertinent to their state or territory legislation.
CONFIDENTIALITY
Clause 25. A practitioner may not disclose information obtained in confidences from or about a patient unless consent has been given.
Clause 26. Patient records are kept confidential at all times and access restricted to the practitioner or assistant, except:
(a) in an emergency or other urgent situation where the information may prevent possible injury to the patient or the other person
(b) where required to do so by the law.
PATIENT RECORDS
Clause 27. The public are entitled to expect that a practitioner will maintain a good standard of practice with full records. This includes:
(a) name, address, telephone, date of birth; (b) details of health history; (c) dates of treatment;
(d) details of remedies prescribed.
Clause 28. Patient records are to be kept indefinitely in safe and secure storage.
ADVERTISING, PUBLICITY AND RELATED MATTERS
Clause 29. Save as is expressly allowed by this Code in clauses 31 and 32 or may otherwise be sanctioned by the Board of Directors, no member, either personally or by association with others, or in any way shall:
1. Advertise or, in any way whatsoever, encourage publicity for himself as a trichologist, or
2. Procure, sanction or acquiesce in the publication of matter commending or directing attention to his professional skill, knowledge, services or qualifications.
Clause 30. No member in his capacity as such shall advertise any form of postal, telephonic, fax or email trichological service, nor provide any such service via newspapers, journals or magazines.
Clause 31 A member shall be permitted to have an entry in any “Trades and Professions” directory under the heading: “Hair and Scalp Specialists”, in addition to any entry under the heading “Trichologists”. Any such entry or entries shall include the designation “Member of the International Association of Trichologists” in addition to the name, address and telephone number of the member.
Clause 32. Provided that the provisions of the following sub-clauses (a) to (c) are observed, and provided that either of the following forms of wording is used, members may so advertise without the prior sanction of the Board of Directors. The forms of wording are:
1) David White I.A.T. (or M.I.A.T.), Member of the International Association of Trichologists, is in practice for the diagnosis and non-medical treatment of problems of the hair and scalp at……Hours…….Consultations by appointment, Telephone……..or..
2) Hair and Scalp problems. Consultations and non-medical treatment. David White, Member of the International Association of Trichologists. Consultations by appointment. Address…….Telephone………
Members practising in other organizations must advertise in their own name. The name of the organisation may be included only in the address. A member employed as a trichologist by another person, firm or company may, when using either of the above forms of wording, include in the address the name of the person, firm or company concerned.
Clause 33. In addition to any advertisement under Clause 32 hereof, a member may, on commencement of practice or on change of address, notify that fact by private circular to the medical practitioners and other relevant contacts in his or her district; he or she may also make a public announcement to the like effect through the medium of the public press.
Clause 34. A practitioner shall not advertise or lay claim to secret or exclusive methods of treatment.
Clause 35. In the advertising of a practitioner’s skills are services, due regards should be paid to the following:
(a) Practitioners shall not use titles or descriptions that give the impressions of medical or other qualifications to which they are not entitled.
(b) A practitioner shall only advertise in a proper and professional manner for the purpose of informing members of the general public as to their location details and areas of specialised practice.
Any advertising outside of the outlined guidelines may be allowed if first approved in writing by the Ethics Committee of the IAT.
ARTICLES BY MEMBERS
Clause 36.
(1) A member shall be permitted to publish articles on general subjects relating to trichology and such articles may be signed by the member in his/her own name and he may state his/her qualifications.
(2) Subject to approval of the article or proposed article by the Board of Directors, a member will normally be permitted to publish in the metropolitan or local press articles on the hair, scalp or related subjects, and such articles may be signed by the member in his own name and he may state his qualifications and the name of the town (but not the address) at which he resides or is in practice. The text of such articles or proposed articles must be submitted to the Board of Directors for approval prior to publication and, if the Board approves the article, no variations from the text submitted shall thereafter be made other than those required by the Board itself or made for reasons of style.
The Board shall have the right to require the inclusion in any such article of a statement to the effect that the views are those of the author and not necessarily of the I.A.T.
BREACH OF THE CODE OF ETHICS
Clause 37. Any breach of the Code of Ethics by any member may be deemed misconduct by him/her in a professional respect and should the Board of Directors (or an Ethics Committee appointed by the Board) consider that a member is or may be in breach of this Code, such member may be called before the Board (or its appointed committee) to provide an explanation for his/her conduct and asked to show good reason why he/she should not be struck off the Register of members.
All complaints against members must be received in writing, documented, and dealt with by the Board of Directors (or an Ethics Committee appointed by the Board). All complaints shall be kept on record.
Complaints against members shall be forwarded to the member in question within a week of the complaint being recorded. Members shall have one month to respond in writing to a complaint and shall also be given the opportunity to appear before the Board of Directors (or an Ethics Committee appointed by the Board) to provide an explanation.
