The Independent Professional Therapists International, require that all members without regard to grade, status or position should at all times maintain the highest level of professional conduct, at all times.

THE CODE is intended to help establish what is appropriate and acceptable practice and to protect members of the public from improper practices.

THE CODE is also intended to help maintain honourable standards of behaviour of members, towards each other, toward clients and members of the public and toward other professional institutions and their members.

THE CODE is not intended to place restrictions on individual members but does place a member under obligation to this profession and professional body.

1. A member must always act with due regard to the laws, customs and practices of the country in which he or she works.

2. A member shall practice only within the limits of his professional training and competency.

3. A member shall not treat any person who to his knowledge could be suffering from any condition likely to be affected by the treatment without the knowledge and consent of the person's medical practitioner.

4. A member who suspects a client is affected by any condition medical or otherwise beyond the range of his training must decline treatment and advise the client to consult an appropriately qualified prectitioner.

5. Membership incurs an obligation to uphold the dignity and honour of the profession, to exalt its standing and to extend its usefulness to the public. The conduct of members shall at all times be both becoming and creditable to the profession.

6. A member should always act professionally towards clients and fellow practitioners, should maintain secrecy and confidentiality in his work and not criticise the work of fellow practitioners.

7. No member shall for any reason offer treatments, aid or advise to any person known to be under the care of another member of I.P.T.I. without the consent of such member.

8. A member temporarily taking charge of a client of another member shall make no effort to influence such client to leave his usual therapist and shall uphold as far as is consistently possible and shall in no way disparage the methods of any such member. In conultation due regard shall be paid to the therapist in charge of the case.

9. A member who has been employed as an assistant by another member shall not at the termination of his employment or on the decease of his former employer where the practise of his former employer has been purchased by another member circularise or otherwise attempt to induce clients to forsake the practice of such former employer.

10. All duly constituted medical bodies shall be respected and endeavours made to merit the esteem of medical practitioners with whom members may come into contact.

11. The fact of clients changing to another therapist or another setting up in practice near at hand should not be allowed to influence the friendly relationship which should exist among all members.

12. A member may use the appropriate designatory letters on letterheads and in advertisments and publicity providing that the placement and content of such advertising material always confirms to the high standards of professional practice without hint or reference to any form of impropriety.

13. In cases where a member acts jointly with or practises in partnership with one or more persons (whether they are all members of the Association or not) they shall not use the designatory letters of the Association after their joint names or after the title of the firm or in any manner directly or indirectly calculated to lead to the assumption that all persons are individually all members of the Association.

14. Any member who resigns membership or permits their membership to lapse may not display the Association's designatory letters, logo and other devices.

TREATMENT OF CLIENTS BY THERAPISTS OF THE OTHER SEX

In some clinics and salons it is necessary and accepted that the treatments be given by therapists on clients of the opposite sex. In such situations a strictly professional approach must be adopted. There shall be no unnecessary disrobing of the client and the therapist shall be properly dressed to avoid any provocation. It is desirable that a third person be on hand and that the treatment cubicle be accessible.

DISCIPLINE

All members are subject to the Association's Code Of Ethics.
The Association reserves the right to investigate any reported incident of misconduct or breach of the Association's Code Of Ethics and to take whatsoever action it deems to be appropriate in the interest of the Association and of the Profession at large.

In enforcing the Code Of Ethics and subsidiary ethical rules and in endeavouring to prevent improper practices being performed by persons other than our members we depend on the co-operation of all members. If members learn of breaches of the code or know of establishments permitting activities which reflect upon and lower the status of our profession and bring our work into disrepute then they should report such matters in writing.
All such reports will be treated in the strictest confidence.