Wider context of therapy


30. Members are advised to gain consent from clients before contacting general practitioners and other professional agencies in situations where this is appropriate.


31. Members must inform clients if their professional role also involves responsibility to take statutory action (e.g. under the mental health act or child protection legislation).


32. Some members have more than one professional qualifi cation. T ese members should make it clear to clients in which professional roles they are practising, in order to avoid any confl ict of interests.


33. Members have a duty to recognise, protect and promote the particular rights and needs of all individuals in families. T is may sometimes include responding to requests for individuals to be seen separately.


Fitness to practise


34. Members are responsible for addressing any current limitations, such as factors in their personal background, and mental or physical ill-health, which aff ect their ability to practise competently.


35. Members should not practise when under the infl uence of alcohol, or drugs that are likely to affect their judgment, or when impaired by illness, psychological distress or infirmity.


36. Members should take appropriate action if they are concerned about a colleague’s behaviour or fi tness to practise. T is could include initiating the relevant complaint and disciplinary procedures.


Professional executors


37. Members should make provision for the appropriate care of their clients in the event of sudden illness or death by naming a colleague or colleagues who should be kept up to date with names and addresses of current clients. Such colleagues would also be responsible for administering the professional estate of a therapist who dies suddenly, in accordance with AFT’s Guidelines for Professional Executors.


Professional indemnity insurance


38. Members must ensure that their professional work is adequately covered by appropriate indemnity arrangements against possible claims for damages for negligence, malpractice or accidental injury, whether in private practice or in work undertaken for an employer. Members must never assume that someone else is holding this responsibility.


Research and publication


39. Members who undertake clinical research must comply with the requirements of their Local Research Ethics Committee and their employer’s Governance procedures, and must gain fully informed consent from clients who participate.


40. Members are strongly advised to obtain consent from clients before using clinical material in any publication. Care should be taken to ensure that any material used in publications or in lectures, seminars and workshops is presented in such a way as to protect a client’s anonymity.


Context 155, February 2018 Working with the media


44. Members who work with the media, for instance in making TV programmes, are required to adhere to the same ethical guidelines that would apply to clients in other contexts. T ey should examine their personal motivation for taking part and keep participants’ needs at the centre of their concern with a particular focus on the needs of children and vulnerable individuals. T ey should also consider the impact on their current clients. T ey should not get involved if the topic is outside their


area of expertise – see AFT guidelines for working with the media and TV.


Complaints and disciplinary procedures


45. Members must inform AFT in writing of any potential conviction, order, fi nding or suspension which may entitle the Association to take action under the AFT Rules of Conduct for Members. AFT should be notifi ed of the progress and outcome of such proceedings.


46. Anyone who has any concerns about the ethical conduct of an AFT member should bring this to the at ention of the member’s employer, registering body or professional body. AFT does not have a complaints procedure.


AFT’s Ethics Committee welcomes queries from members about any aspect of this Code as it relates to their practice.


Please contact Sue Kennedy, AFT Executive Offi cer, 7 Executive Suite, St James Court, Wilderspool Causeway, Warrington WA4 6PS.


Tel: 01925 444414 Email: s.kennedy@aft.org.uk


Do you belong to the AFT list – an email discussion forum hosted by AFT?


We have recently conducted a survey on the AFT list and


our other google groups, to see if members feel they could be improved. If you have not completed the survey and would like to do so, you can access the survey here: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/FQSXPSJ If you are not a member of the AFT list and wish to join, please


send an email to AFTList+subscribe@googlegroups.com and enter the word “subscribe” in the subject heading.


59


Relationships with colleagues, trainees and junior staff


41. Members must address ethical issues in training and supervision and should strive to ensure that all students, trainees and junior staff for whom they are responsible, maintain an appropriate ethical standard in their practice.


42. Members who engage in personal relationships with students, trainees or colleagues must ensure that such relationships do not compromise their eff ectiveness as therapist, consultant or trainer, or interfere with the standard of service off ered to clients.


43. Sexual intimacy between supervisors/trainers and trainees should be actively discouraged for the duration of the course and any possibility of at raction should be discussed with the appropriate superior (e.g. head of department) and alternative training arrangements made.


AFT Code of Ethics and Practice


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