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Standards of Practice

Standards refer to the expected level of physiotherapist performance, for qualification to practice, clinical care, and professional practice that results in safe, ethical and effective physiotherapy service.

Introduction
Standards of practice are one component of a continuum of documents including codes of ethics, position statements, practice guidelines, essential competencies, and entry-to-practice milestones which direct the practice of professionals to provide quality care.
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Advertising and Marketing
The physiotherapist engages in advertising, marketing, and promotional activities that are truthful, accurate, and verifiable and does not engage in or allow advertising, marketing, and promotional activities that are deceptive or misleading.
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Assessment, Diagnosis, Treatment
The physiotherapist demonstrates proficiency in client assessment, diagnosis, and treatments to deliver quality, safe, client-centred physiotherapy services.
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Boundary Violations
The physiotherapist acts with integrity and maintains appropriate professional boundaries with clients, colleagues, students, and others.
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Communication
The physiotherapist communicates professionally, clearly, effectively, and in a timely manner to support and promote quality physiotherapy services.
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Concurrent Care
The physiotherapist collaborates with health-care providers, and others to provide safe, effective, quality, and concurrent care, when indicated by the client’s health-care needs and preferences.
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Conflict of Interest
The physiotherapist must identify, disclose, and avoid or otherwise mitigate any real, potential, or perceived conflicts of interest.
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Continuing Competence
The physiotherapist practices within their level of competence and actively pursues continuous lifelong learning to maintain competence in existing and emerging areas of their practice.
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Documentation
The physiotherapist maintains client records that are accurate, legible, complete, and written in a timely manner.
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Dual Practice
Physiotherapists may provide more than one role within the health or wellness systems (e.g., acupuncturist, chiropractor, personal trainer). This standard establishes the regulatory expectations when a physiotherapist is fulfilling more than one role.
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Duty of Care
The physiotherapist has a duty of care to their clients and an obligation to provide for continuity of care whenever a therapeutic relationship with a client has been established.
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Evidence-Informed Practice
The physiotherapist engages in evidence-informed practice in physiotherapy service delivery.
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Funding, Fees, and Billing
The physiotherapist is responsible for ensuring that the fees charged for physiotherapy services and products are transparent and justifiable to enable clients to make informed choices.
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Health Equity and Anti-Discrimination
For the purposes of this standard, identity, culture, and individual characteristics refer to an individual’s personal traits and the communities to which the person belongs. This can include but is not limited to characteristics such as physical appearance, body size and shape, use of mobility aids, and identity factors such as religion, ethnicity, sexual identity, gender identity, or social group. All individuals inhabit more than one social location and possess a unique combination of identities and individual characteristics.
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Indigenous Cultural Safety and Humility
The physiotherapist demonstrates cultural humility and strives to provide culturally safe physiotherapy services when working with Indigenous clients.
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Infection Control
The physiotherapist complies with current infection prevention and control best practice recommendations to support the health and safety of clients, health-care providers, themselves, and others.
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Informed Consent
The physiotherapist obtains clients’ ongoing informed consent for the delivery of physiotherapy services.
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Performance of Restricted Activities
The physiotherapist performs restricted activities that they are competent and authorized to perform, within the context of physiotherapy practice, and when client assessment findings support their use.
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Privacy and Record Retention
The physiotherapist maintains client privacy and confidentiality in compliance with the requirements of the privacy legislation relevant to their practice.
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Risk Management and Safety
The physiotherapist promotes and maintains a safe environment for clients, health-care providers, themselves, and others.
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Sexual Abuse and Sexual Misconduct
The physiotherapist abstains from conduct, behaviour or remarks directed towards a patient that constitutes sexual abuse or sexual misconduct.
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Supervision
The physiotherapist is responsible and accountable for the physiotherapy services provided by personnel working under their supervision (supervisees), and for providing appropriate supervision, in accordance with the client’s needs, supervisee’s skills and competencies, identified risks, and the context of practice.
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Titles, Credentials and Specialty Designations
The physiotherapist uses their title and other credentials to clearly identify themselves to clients, other health-care providers, and the public.
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Virtual Care
Physiotherapists incorporating virtual care in the delivery of quality, effective physiotherapy services do so in accordance with client preferences, and as indicated and appropriate to address client needs.
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Glossary
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References
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Page updated: 15/07/2024