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Professional Codes of Conduct

Profession organisations have their own codes of conduct setting out the standards of ethical behaviour owed by members of each profession. These standards typically include:
  • respecting patients’ decisions about their care, treatment and support;
  • obtaining consent for treatment, service provision or for disclosure of patient/client personal information;
  • protecting patient/client personal information by maintaining confidentiality; and
  • ensuring continuity of care/support/service through good record-keeping practice.
Information on professional codes of practice can be obtained from the following organisations.


The British Association of Social Workers (BASW)

BASW is the only professional association for Social Workers in the UK.  Its primary aim is to promote the best possible social work services for all people who may need them, whilst also securing the well-being of social Workers.  By joining the Association, its members are committing to the values set out within their Code of Ethics:

The British Dental Association (BDA) Northern Ireland

The BDA is the professional association and trade union for dentists in the United Kingdom and was founded in 1880. Its mission is to:
  • promote the interests of its members
  • advance the science, arts and ethics of dentistry
  • improve the nation’s oral health
The Mount
2 Woodstock Link
Belfast, BT6 8DD
Tel: 02890 735 856
Fax: 02890 735 857
Web: http://www.bda.org/about-the-bda/offices-and-contracts/bda-northern-ireland/Link to an external website


The British and Irish Orthoptic Society

The British and Irish Orthoptic Society is the professional society for Orthoptists in Ireland and the UK.
Email: bios@orthoptics.org.uk
Web: www.orthoptics.org.ukLink to an external website


The British Medical Association (BMA) Northern Ireland

The BMA is the doctors’ professional organisation established to look after the professional and personal needs of its members and represents doctors in all branches of medicine all over the UK.  They are a voluntary association with over two-thirds of practising UK doctors in membership and an independent trade union dedicated to protecting individual members and the collective interests of doctors.  They are in constant contact with ministers, government departments, members of the UK, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland administrations and many other influential bodies and are committed to keeping members in touch with the profession’s collective views and policies and to being at the forefront of healthcare development.  
16 Cromac Place,
Cromac Wood,
Ormeau Road
Belfast BT7 2JB
Tel: 028 90269666
Fax: 028 90269665
E-mail: BMANorthernIreland@bma.org.uk
Web: http://www.bma.org.uk/ni/Link to an external website


The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy: Rules of Professional Conduct



General Dental Council

37 Wimpole Street,
London
W1M 8DQ
Tel: 020 7887 3838
Fax: 020 7224 3294
Web: www.gdc-uk.orgLink to an external website
The General Dental Council has been established as the statutory regulatory body for the dental profession since 1956.  Council members as individuals and in their corporate capacity, have a responsibility to ensure that the functions of the Council, as set out in legislation, are effectively discharged in the interests of the public. This Code provides guidance for Members and anyone else acting on behalf of the Council, to assist them in carrying out these functions in accordance with currently accepted standards of public service.

Conduct of Council and Committee Members

The General Medical Council

The General Medical Council is the independent regulator for doctors in the UK.
The purpose of the General Medical Council (GMC) is to protect, promote and maintain the health and safety of the public by ensuring proper standards in the practice of medicine.
General Medical Council
9th Floor Bedford House
16-22 Bedford Street
Belfast
BT2 7FD
Email: gmcnorthernireland@gmc-uk.org
Telephone: 028 9031 9945
Regent’s Place
350 Euston Road
London
NW1 3JN
Tel: 0161 923 6602
Web: www.gmc-uk.orgLink to an external website

The Health Archives and Records Group (HARG)

HARG is a representative body for archivists and records managers working in the health sector, including but not limited to the NHS. It has been an affiliated group of the Society of Archivists’ Specialist Repositories Group since 2001. HARG aims to raise the profile of health archives and to improve the level of awareness in the NHS and elsewhere about record-keeping issues.
Further information about HARG, including current contact details, can be found on the Specialist Repositories Group section of the Society of Archivists’ website: http://www.archives.org.uk/Link to an external website


Health Professions Council

Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine
Park House,
184 Kennington Park Road,
London
SE11 4BU
Tel: 020 7582 0866
Fax: 020 7820 9684
Email: policy@hpc-uk.org
Web: http://www.hpc-uk.org/Link to an external website


Northern Ireland Social Care Council

7th Floor,
Millenium House,
Great Victoria Street,
Belfast
BT2 7AQ
Tel: 028 9041 7600
Fax: 028 9041 7601
Web: www.niscc.infoLink to an external website


Codes of Practice for Social Care Workers and Employers

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)

23 Portland Place,
London
W1B 1PZ
Tel: 020 7637 7181
Fax: 020 7436 2924
Email: advice@nmc-uk.org
Web: www.nmc-uk.orgLink to an external website
Code of Professional Conduct  -  The NMC Standards 07.04 informs the professions of the standard of professional conduct required of them in the exercise of their professional accountability and practice.
See link:
Guidance on Record Keeping 01.05  -  Guidelines prepared by the NMC on records and record-keeping practices for nurses and midwives.
Midwives’ Rules and Standards – NMC Standards 05.04  -  The Nursing and Midwifery Order 2001 requires the NMC to set rules and standards for midwifery. The rules and standards document provides guidance on the interpretation of these rules and standards and includes record keeping. See:

The Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland

73 University Street,
Belfast
BT7 1HL
Tel: 028 9032 6927
Fax: 028 9043 9919
Web: http://www.psni.org.ukLink to an external website
The Pharmaceutical Society of Northern Ireland is the regulatory and professional body for pharmacists in Northern Ireland. It protects public safety in pharmacy by:
  • setting and promoting standards for pharmacists' admission to the register and for remaining on the register;
  • maintaining a publicly accessible register of pharmacists, and pharmacy premises, in Northern Ireland;
  • handling concerns about the Fitness to Practise of registrants, acting as a complaints portal and taking action to protect the public; and
  • ensuring high standards of education and training for pharmacists in Northern Ireland.
As the professional body it seeks to develop the pharmacy profession in Northern Ireland in the public interest.  The Code of Ethics for Pharmacists in Northern Ireland sets the standard of professional conduct for all pharmacists and is regarded as governing the conduct of all pharmacists.  Supporting professional standards and guidance documents have been developed to expand upon the principles of the Code of Ethics for specific areas of practice or professional activities.  

The Royal College of General Practitioners

The Royal College of Pathologists

The Royal College of Physicians

A Clinician’s Guide to Record Standards Parts 1& 2:

The Royal College of Surgeons of England

The guidelines for Clinicians on Medical Records and Notes have been prepared to assist clinicians with the medical records which are fundamental for clinical care and the audit of surgical services.