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Code of Practice for Therapists
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| SEE ALSO |
| Code of Practice for Trainers |
| Appendix A - National Variances |
| Appendix B - ISTA model forms [members only] |
Notes on this Code of Practice for ISTA Members
This document represents a Code all registered S.C.E.N.A.R. Practitioners are striving to adhere to.
The Code was first drawn up and ratified in the UK on 5th March 2003.
The date of the last review of this document is 5th June 2007.
Changes in blue-lining or to the provisions of the Code will be advised on this Website's noticeboards.
CODE OF PRACTICE FOR ISTA MEMBERS
[click on any heading and you will be taken to the relevant section]
[red denotes a future intention, currently under discussion]
Contents
1.0 Patient - Practitioner Relationship
2.0 Examination and Treatment of patients
3.0 Patient Records and Confidentiality
4.0 Responsibilities of the Member to the Profession and the Association
6.0 Practitioner Training & Levels
8.0 Professional Misconduct, Complaints & Disciplinary Procedures
9.0 Address of ISTA's Executive Committee
Schedule A - Variations and Specific Provisions Adopted by Individual Countries
Bulgaria
Ireland
United Kingdom
Schedule B -- Recommended Practitioner Forms
(these are only available to ISTA members, via the pages of this site's Members' Section) .
About this Code
All professional bodies require a Code of Practice which governs the professional conduct of its members; accordingly each member of ISTA expressly agrees to be bound by the provisions of this Code. National conditions, practices and traditions may require adjustments agreed and approved by national Scenar organisations. Each national organisation is free to adapt this Code in full or in part.
The purpose of this Code is -
A. to provide national chapters and members with guidance on the professional conduct expected of
them by the international community,
B. to advise and assure the public that ISTA members practice to uniformly high standards of
professional conduct and client care, and
C. to clarify the grounds for complaint and the procedures open to anybody who feels that any ISTA
member has been in breach of any of the provisions of this Code.
This Code is internationally developed and accepted; where national regulations,
law or practice require national variations to this Code, these are shown
in Schedule A .
It is not a requirement that a national S.C.E.N.A.R. chapter be formed or exist, or that membership of ISTA be through such an organisation. Where the number of practitioners in a country remains limited, direct ISTA membership is encouraged.
This Code supplements any other Codes a Practitioner may be subject to, e.g. the Hippocratic Oath for medical doctors.
S.C.E.N.A.R. technology and practice is continually evolving; such a dynamic environment requires that this International Code be periodically amended. Please therefore always check that you are looking at the latest version, which will be that published on the Internet Website of the International S.C.E.N.A.R. Technology Association (ISTA) at www.scenartech.com.
Definitions
ISTA The International S.C.E.N.A.R. Technology Association, formed in September 2003,
by 150 practitioners from 20 nations
Practitioner Throughout this Code, Practitioner is interchangeable with ISTA Member (Student,
Associate Member and Member (M.ISTA)
S.C.E.N.A.R. S.C.E.N.A.R. = self-controlling energo-neuro adaptive regulation
ISTA exists to cover all devices and therapies drawing on S.C.E.N.A.R. Technology,
the use of this abbreviation throughout this Code does not imply any particular brand
of device, trademark, or application approach; any Practitioner utilizing a device determined
by ISTA's Technical Committee to be based on S.C.E.N.A.R. Technology is eligible for
membership to, and association with, ISTA - providing all other membership conditions
have been met in full.
Preamble
S.C.E.N.A.R. is a distinct energy-medicine discipline within the field of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) and works by stimulating the self-healing powers of the human body.
CAM practitioners adhere to the same high professional standards governing conventional medical practitioners and pledge to -
- make the care of their patients their first concern
- treat every patient politely and considerately
- respect patients' dignity and privacy
- listen to patients and respect their views
- give patients information in a way they can understand
- respect the rights of patients to be fully involved in decisions about their care
- uphold at all times the standards of good practice and care expected of them
- keep their professional knowledge and skills up to date
- recognise the limits of their professional competence
- be honest and trustworthy
- respect and protect confidential information
- make sure that personal beliefs do not prejudice their patients' care
- act quickly to protect patients from risk if they feel that they or a colleague may not be fit to practice
- avoid abusing their position of trust
- work with colleagues in ways that best serve the patients' interests
1. The Patient - Practitioner Relationship
1.1 The relationship between practitioner and patient is that of professional and client and should at all times be conducted appropriately and on the basis of complete confidentiality.
1.2 The practitioner will maintain at all times patient documentation in the format and detail prescribed by their national body or ISTA, and in particular will obtain the following basic information when first accepting a new patient -
- name, address, contact telephone numbers and date and place of birth;
- essential details of medical history, incl. details of their regular GP / doctor and
- an indication of whether this doctor is aware of S.C.E.N.A.R. treatment being received;
- dates of treatments;
- details of treatments;
- current and recent medication
Schedule B, accessible by ISTA members only, provides recommended formats for patient records.
1.3 The nature of S.C.E.N.A.R. therapy requires that the practitioner, on first accepting a patient, explain to this patient how S.C.E.N.A.R. works and what the healing process may entail (e.g the healing crisis). The practitioner shall further exercise restraint and caution with regard to the administration of any form of treatment which may potentially be to the detriment of the patient. Whenever possible, any specific treatment to be provided should be explained in advance so that the patient is given an opportunity to ask additional questions or express reservations.
1.4 The practitioner should never exaggerate the gravity of a patient's condition, nor make any promise, nor give any guarantee as to the results of S.C.E.N.A.R. treatment, to the patient, to the patient's representative, or in any other public forum.
1.5 Practitioners shall at all times conduct themselves in a courteous manner, and with due regard to their professional relationship with their patients, irrespective of a person's age, disability, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation or political affiliation.
1.6 In situations in which the patient's treatment may require medical diagnosis or reaches beyond the competency or experience of a S.C.E.N.A.R. practitioner, s/he is required to seek appropriate advice from a suitably qualified supervisor or medical doctor. Non-medical S.C.E.N.A.R. Practitioners are not entitled to offer diagnostic services, except where additional qualifications have been obtained and are so recorded against their names (e.g. RISTA).
1.7 A Practitioner must not abuse or disturb the nature of the professional relationship between practitioner and patient. Under no circumstances shall a Practitioner exploit a patient financially, sexually, emotionally or in any other manner.
1.8 Practitioners who become aware that a patient may be leaning towards behaviour inappropriate to a professional practitioner / patient relationship should bring this to the attention of the Secretary of their national chapter, or ISTA, as early as possible.
2.0 Examination and Treatment of Patients
2.1 Non-medical practitioners may not prescribe, advise treatments or recommend medication or foods by virtue of their S.C.E.N.A.R. qualification alone; they may only do so where their other qualifications so permit, or where prior approval of the Professional Standards Committee has been obtained, or where they do so expressly in a lay-capacity. Practitioners may however advise the patient to seek certain types of help from other professions when, in their professional opinion, such appear appropriate.
2.2 For purposes of treatment planning, the practitioner may rely on the information provided on patient's registration as being accurate and complete where the patient has expressly so stated and confirmed by original signature in the registration documentation. Where expressly requested and authorised by the Client, the Practitioner shall communicate with the patient's regular GP / doctor.
2.3 If, for any purpose treatment or examination of a sexually sensitive area is necessary, the reasons for such, and a description of the procedure, must be given to the patient prior to such an examination; and the written consent of this patient needs to be obtainedprior to the commencement of the physical examination and/or treatment (a format is provided in Schedule B ). It is recommended that a chaperone of the patient's gender be present during such a sensitive examination and treatment.
2.4 For the purposes of this Code, sexually sensitive areas are defined as the internal and external genitalia; the anus, rectum and peri-anal area, and the breasts.
2.5 The right of a patient to refuse any particular treatment should at all times be respected by the practitioner.
2.6 Except with the express consent of the patient or, in the case of a minor, his/her parent or guardian, no third party may be present during consultation or treatment, except as provided for in Sections 2.3 (above) and 2.7 (below).
2.7 Written consent for the examination and/or treatment of a minor should be obtained, from their parent or guardian, prior to any such treatment or examination being performed. The presence during examination / treatment of the minor's parents or guardian is required.
2.8 Good practice requires that the practitioner inform his/her patient whenever in his/her view continued S.C.E.N.A.R. treatment is unlikely to achieve the desired effect.
3.0 Patient Records and Confidentiality
3.1 The practitioner shall maintain careful records of all patient contacts, consultations, treatments etc., in the manner from time to time prescribed by the national chapters' or ISTA's Professional Standards Committee (see Schedule B ). These records need to be securely retained for a period of not less than 7 years.
3.2 All information held by the practitioner with regard to a patient shall at all times remain strictly confidential, except when the explicit and unequivocal consent of the patient has been obtained in the circumstances given below.
3.3 A patient has the right to see all information held on her/himself by the practitioner, who should ensure that any medical or specialist terms used should be explained to the patient.
3.4 A practitioner is responsible for ensuring all information held by him/herself with regard to a patient remains confidential and up to date, in accordance with data protection legislation in the country of practice.
3.5 A practitioner may disclose confidential information regarding a patient to another practitioner or medical person for the purposes of gaining a second opinion, or maintaining statistical information, providing that the patient is not named, nor any other method of identification of the patient is included.
3.6 A practitioner may, with the patient's agreement, disclose confidential information regarding a patient to another practitioner acting as locum and under the same conditions and duty of confidentiality.
3.7 For purposes of completing statistical evaluations, identity-neutralised data from patients' records may be extracted and released for ISTA-approved research purposes only.
3.8 Any feedback on, or complaints against, a practitioner should be addressed to the Secretary of either the national chapter or ISTA, who will place it before the respective Professional Standards Committee. ISTA's address for such communication is given at the end of this document; that of the national chapter is in Schedule A.
3.9 Practitioners should make adequate arrangements for the care of their patients in the event of holiday absences, death or the intended sale of the practice; in the latter event the permission of the patient is required before the transfer of records is permitted. Where locum cover is required, the national chapter or ISTA should be approached as early as possible for assistance in locating such cover.
3.10 Practitioners should be aware of national regulations regarding the storage of patient documentation; where in doubt they should consult with their national chapter or ISTA directly.
4. Responsibilities of Members to the Profession and Association
4.1 A practitioner shall not bring S.C.E.N.A.R., their national chapter or ISTA into disrepute, and shall refrain from disparaging the work of colleagues, or in any way speak disrespectfully of them, in public. Where grounds exist to believe that a practitioner has conducted him- or her-self inappropriately, or is continuing to do so, a confidential note should be addressed to the Secretary of the national chapter or ISTA who will refer the matter to the respective Professional Standards Committee who in turn will raise the matter with the practitioner concerned.
4.2 A practitioner shall maintain the high standards of professional conduct appropriate to membership of any professional association and shall observe the highest degree of integrity and responsibility in S.C.E.N.A.R. practice.
4.3 A practitioner shall maintain, by means of continuous update of information and/or prescribed training, a level of competence commensurate with membership of a professional body. All practitioners are required to maintain an annual continuing professional development (CPD) programme. Each national chapter or ISTA will maintain careful records of training achievements, and client reporting, for each registered practitioner. No practitioner shall offer, undertake or participate in the training or teaching of S.C.E.N.A.R. technology unless formally qualified to do so, or, in exceptional circumstances, where express permission of the relevant Professional Standards Committee has been given in writing.
4.4 No claim of any kind shall be made, in writing or otherwise, by a practitioner in respect of the cure of any specific disease by S.C.E.N.A.R. Therapy, unless formal clinical trial results have been advised by the relevant Professional Standards Committee.
4.5 No practitioner shall entice patients from the care of professional colleagues; while the ethos of S.C.E.N.A.R. technology encourages patients to change practitioners until the right healing balance has been established. Practitioners are required to handle such patient-initiated transfers with the same professional courtesy as if they had initiated the transfer themselves.
4.6 Practitioners shall not use titles or descriptions suggesting medical qualifications unless they possess such, and, remain registered either with the appropriate professional body of the country in which they trained or in which they currently practice. Were registered in a country other than the one in which they practice, they are advised to state this country alongside the qualification.
4.7 Practitioners are required at all times to discharge their obligations and responsibilities towards S.C.E.N.A.R. technology and colleagues in a timely and courteous manner. They will advise the Secretary immediately of any untoward local comments or occurrences pertaining to S.C.E.N.A.R. Technology and/or their practice.
4.8 Practitioners are required to ensure that they practice from premises that comply with local health & safety regulations. They should also take account of the energetic nature of S.C.E.N.A.R. by ensuring that any interference in the treatment room from other electronic devices, e.g. computers, ozone machines, is eliminated to the extend possible. To this effect the treatment area and the on-duty practitioner are required to operate a no-smoking policy.
4.9 All Practitioners agree to being visited by more experienced colleagues who will be acting on behalf of the respective Professional Standards Committee and may seek to sit in on patient treatment sessions (with the patients' consent, and with due notice of at least 2 weeks given by the Secretary of the national chapter or ISTA) with a view to providing ongoing on-site training and supervision for all practitioners.
4.10 Practitioners are required to give maximum notice of any changes of address, contact details, and other relevant changes in circumstances to their national chapter or the Secretary of ISTA, as well as to their existing clients. Check upcoming facilities to do this directly on ISTA's Website.
4.11 It is a pre-condition of valid membership of ISTA that a practitioner hold valid insurances covering medical malpractice, professional indemnity, patient, public and product liabilities. Such insurances can either be secured via their national chapters, or be shown to be in place by the production of a valid certificate of insurance issued by an insurer acceptable to the Secretary of the national chapter or ISTA. In some national jurisdictions such insurance is either not obligatory or not available, see Schedule A . Where available, but not obligatory, ISTA encourages that insurance cover be taken.
4.12 Where obligatory, on lapse of the insurance cover, a practitioner's membership will automatically be considered to have been suspended until insurance cover has been renewed or re-instated.
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5.0 Advertising
5.1 Practitioners may insert professional displays in health journals and magazines or any other suitable publications. Prior clearance of all advertisements and other display material, brochures, etc. by the relevant national chapter or ISTA is required.
5.2 Practitioners may announce the commencement of practice in a newspaper advertisement in a style appropriate to a professional practitioner. Changes of address or other alterations, such as times of consulting, may be announced in a similar manner.
5.3 In all cases of doubt about any proposed advertising, a practitioner shall abide by the ruling and advice received in this connection from the Secretary of their national chapter or ISTA acting on instructions received from the relevant Professional Standards Committee.
5.4 Advertisements should refrain from making any unjustified claims about the effectiveness and duration of S.C.E.N.A.R. treatment and should restrict themselves to factual information.
5.5 Practitioners are requested to send copies of any articles, press references, advertisements, etc. appearing in any medium in their country to the Secretary of their national chapter and ISTA.
6.0 Practitioners Training and Levels
6.1 All ISTA members are required to undergo a thorough, multi-stage, training programme.
6.2 To be eligible for professional training, a candidate must at least hold certificates of proficiency in anatomy and physiology, or be undergoing a recognized course of training.
6.3 During professional training, a practitioner is eligible for registration as student with their national chapter, or ISTA as the case may be. ISTA maintains 3 levels of membership - Student, Associate Members and Member (M.ISTA). Chapters may introduce gradations in membership to suit local conditions but without lowering the professional standards required of practitioners.
6.4 Following the successful treatment of a set number of patients, being in practice for a minimum number of years, and passing certain prescribed exams, a member may be invited to attend advanced training to become a S.C.E.N.A.R. teacher or a specialist in certain applications of S.C.E.N.A.R. Where this is the case, and the trainings are completed successfully, mention will be made in the Register against the practitioner's name and in the specialist sections of the Register. ISTA will accredit trainers who undergo designated training programmes which qualify them to train in their language anywhere in the world, in addition to their home country.
6.5 To retain their licence to practice, remain on the respective register and remain a full Member of the International S.C.E.N.A.R. Practitioners Register, practitioners are required to participate in Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programmes offered periodically under the auspices of ISTA or their national chapters.
6.6 Members who do not have medical qualifications are required to have training in first aid and are required to remain current; training has to be provided by trainers approved by the appropriate national authorities.
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7.0 Legal Requirements
7.1 A practitioner is required act in accordance with all laws pertaining to the practice of complementary and alternative medicine and patient- and health-care in the country in which s/he practices. ISTA will assist in identifying these where possible.
7.2 A practitioner shall not treat any condition which s/he is proscribed from doing by statute, or law. It is the responsibility of each practitioner to be informed about which conditions they may or may not treat and their medico-legal position.
7.3 Notifiable Diseases should be reported in accordance with applicable regulations for the country in which the treatment is being given.
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8.0 Professional Misconduct, Complaints & Disciplinary Procedures
8.1 All practitioners on national or ISTA registers expressly undertake to adhere to the provisions of this International Code, with national variations as from time to time published on this Site. A plea of ignorance in respect of any or all of the provisions of this Code shall therefore not be deemed justifiable defense for a practitioner found to have contravened them.
8.2 A Practitioner found to be in breach of this Code shall, in accordance with the decision of the relevant Professional Standard's Committee, be:
(a) either served with written notice by the Professional Standards Committee that his/her behaviour
is contrary to the Code of Ethics of this Register, and that s/he is required to cease any such
behaviour forthwith;
(b) or is required to present him/herself before the Professional Standards Committee to explain
his/her behaviour, offer apologies to the Professional Standards Committee and undertake
to cease such behaviour forthwith.
8.3 Subject to the above procedure, a meeting of the Professional Standards Committee, by majority decision, may strike any member from the respective register if s/he acts in breach of the Code here given.
8.4 In addition, any practitioner will be automatically be suspended from the Register until the completion of all appeals procedures and struck off if s/he is found guilty by any Court of Law of -
(a) either assault - sexual, physical or otherwise - upon a patient under his/her treatment,
or
(b) any other criminal activity which conflicts with his/her professional status and standing as
a registered S.C.E.N.A.R. practitioner
8.5 Any form of addiction to drugs and other intoxicating substances will be treated as ground for immediate suspension of a practitioner's registration, and, wholly at the discretion of the Professional Standards Committee with due regard to the particular circumstance, may lead to the practitioner being struck off or suspended.
8.6 A Practitioner subject to disciplinary proceedings by his/her national committees or the Professional Standards Committee may appeal to ISTA's Executive Committee to have the decision of the Professional Standards Committee with regard to disciplinary matters reconsidered, or set aside, except where this arises automatically from a conviction by a court of law.
8.7 To lodge an appeal as described in Section 8.6, the practitioner must notify the national committee and/or the Professional Standards Committee of his/her intent to appeal to ISTA's Executive Committee, in writing and within fourteen days of his/her receipt of the national committee's / the Professional Standards Committee's original decision.
8.8 Upon receipt of notification as described in section 8.7, ISTA's Executive Committee will schedule a time-slot at the next meeting of ISTA's Executive Committee at which the practitioner's appeal will be heard.
8.9 Appeals must be presented in person to a meeting of ISTA's Executive Committee.
8.10 All decisions of ISTA's Executive Committee with regard to such appeals are final.
8.11 A Practitioner is permitted to appeal to ISTA's Executive Committee on one occasion only in connection with any one specific disciplinary offence.
8.12 A Practitioner may not appeal against expulsion from any register on grounds laid out in section 8.4, and, if applicable, 8.5.
8.13 The national professional chapters and ISTA's Professional Standards Committee shall hold the power to suspend any practitioner from any register while disciplinary proceedings are in progress or pending.
8.14 Either the relevant Professional Standards Committee or the Executive Committee, in agreement with the other, may at any time amend, or introduce additional provisions into this International Code, which shall become effective 48 hours after inclusion in the Internet version of this Code and advised via the noticeboards on the Website.
Complaints Procedure for Patients and Third Parties
8.15 Any patient or third party wishing to raise a complaint against any practitioner on the relevant register may do so in writing to the Secretary of the national chapter or ISTA. Such complaints should however be limited to perceived breaches of this Code, any others should be pursued through the usual legal channels available to complainants in their locality.
9.0 Address for ISTA's Steering Committee
ISTA may be contacted through -
The Secretary
International S.C.E.N.A.R. Technology Association (ISTA)
46 Maskelyne Close
London UK
SW11 4AE
fax +44 207 691 9347
e-mail ista@scenartech.com
SCHEDULE A - National Variations to the Code
SCHEDULE B - Suggested Formats for Client and Treatment Records (members only)
