No place for sexism, sexual harassment or violence in healthcare

Respect is a cornerstone of good, professional practice and it is fundamental to the Australian community’s trust in registered health practitioners.

‘Speaking up when we see or experience disrespectful behaviour and addressing it helps build a culture of respect that supports patient safety,’ Ahpra CEO, Martin Fletcher, said.

There is no place for sexism, sexual harassment or gendered violence in healthcare. Ahpra and National Boards explicitly condemn this behaviour by registered health practitioners.

National Boards’ expectations of practitioner conduct and respectful, professional behaviour, including maintaining appropriate professional boundaries, are set out in National Board codes of conduct (or equivalent).

Practitioners must always treat patients, consumers, students, employees and colleagues with respect. They must always communicate professionally and respectfully with and about others, including when using social media. 

The AMA is currently reviewing its own policy on Workplace Bullying and Harassment and Sexual harassment in the medical workplace.

You can read the full Ahpra statement here.