Amber Laris
Chiropractor and Osteopath INFORMATION SHEET
The Regulation of Chiropractic in Australia
L
ike other primary healthcare providers in Australia, chiropractors need to be licensed in order to be able to practise. The Chiropractic Board of Australia (CBA), working in partnership with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), is responsible for the registration of chiropractors, and there are a number of standards that need to be met before a chiropractor can be licensed to practise in this country. One of the main standards upon which registration is dependent relates to approved programmes of study. In order to be
“The Chiropractic Board of Australia and the Chiropractors Association of Australia are the professional bodies who oversee chiropractic practice throughout the country”
registered by the Board, chiropractors must have undertaken at least 5 years’s training at one of the three Australian universities that provide degrees in chiropractic. A further central standard relates to a commitment to continuing professional development; Australian chiropractors must undertake annual professional development and make declarations to the CBA regarding this training as a requirement of their registration renewal process. Furthermore, the CBA has a Code of Conduct for all practising chiropractors in Australia. The purpose of the Code is to provide guidance to the profession in relation to expected professional standards. It offers very clear standards and informs both practitioners and patients about the Board’s expectations of the profession, and assists and supports chiropractors to deliver effective health services within an ethical framework. The Code of Conduct relates to such areas as: • providing good care • working with patients • working within the health care system • maintaining professional performance • professional behaviour and ethical conduct In addition, an Australian chiropractor should also be a member of the Chiropractors Association of Australia. The CAA is the peak
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body representing chiropractors in this country, and has a Code of Ethics that establishes expected standards for members. The Code of Ethics covers areas such as: • guidelines as to how chiropractors should relate to and communicate with patients • the role and place of chiropractors in the wider community • clinical competence and expertise • responsibilities to the wider profession
“A chiropractor must be licensed with the CBA in order to be able to practise” Therefore, patients who are considering undergoing a course or chiropractic treatment should ensure that their chiropractor is a member of the CAA, as this demonstrates the willingness of a chiropractor to be judged by their peers, and by society, through the
quality of service they provide. It is also an indicator of dedication to their profession and their recognition of the importance social accountability in the treatment of patients. Chiropractic practitioners in Australia can therefore be seen to be subject to rigorous professional standards. As a result, patients undergoing chiropractic treatment can have a great deal of confidence that a registered chiropractor who is also a member of the CAA works to a set of clearly defined professional standards that encompasses all aspects of their practice, and they can feel assured that their chiropractor is committed both to high standards of patient care and continued professional development. In addition, there are clear guidelines that all chiropractors must adhere to in relation to how they relate to and communicate with patients, and this means that if you are undergoing chiropractic, you will benefit from open and forthright advice and guidance about any proposed course of treatment.
www.amberlaris.com.au Amber Laris is a long-established chiropractor with a popular practice in the heart of the Adelaide CBD, and is a member of the Chiropractic Association of Australia (CAA) and the Chiropractic and Osteopathic College of Australasia (COCA). Amber is dedicated to helping her patients find a natural way to health and well-being, so please contact her to discover more about the benefits of chiropractic treatment, or to arrange a consultation in her Pirie Street clinic.
Level 2, 33 Pirie Street, Adelaide SA, 5000 Telephone: (08) 8221 6100
www.amberlaris.com.au
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