NZQA proposed unit standard
HW26 version 1
Page 1 of 4
Title
Demonstrate and apply knowledge of professional and ethical
behaviour in a health or wellbeing setting
Level
3
Purpose
Credits
5
This unit standard is for people providing services in a health or
wellbeing setting.
People credited with this unit standard are able to: describe a
relevant code of ethics and its application; describe
professional and ethical behaviour; and work professionally and
ethically, in a health or wellbeing setting.
Classification
Health, Disability, and Aged Support > Health and Disability
Principles in Practice
Available grade
Achieved
Explanatory notes
1
Assessment note
Assessment for this unit standard is to be contextualised to the candidate’s sector
within a health or wellbeing setting.
2
Definitions
Code of ethics – an agreed set of foundation or guiding principles established by
health or wellbeing professional organisations. Codes of ethics may include but are
not limited to: organisation codes of conduct or ethics, code of rights, and
professional association codes of conduct, rules, or ethics. Codes of ethics may be
established by local, regional, or national organisations.
Health or wellbeing setting includes but is not limited to – the aged care, community
support, disability, mental health, social services, and youth development sectors.
Organisational policies and procedures – policies, procedures, and methodologies of
an organisation. They include legislative and regulatory requirements which may
apply across a company, a specific site, or a workplace. Requirements are
documented in the company’s health and safety plans, contract work programmes,
quality assurance programmes, policies, and procedural documents.
Person – a person accessing services. Other terms used for the person may include
client, consumer, customer, patient, individual, resident, service user, tūroro, or
tangata whai ora.
3
Legislation relevant to this unit standard may include but is not limited to:
Health and Disability Commissioner Act 1994;
Health and Disability Commissioner (Code of Health and Disability Services
Consumer’s Rights) Regulations 1996 (the Code of Rights);
Health and Disability Services (Safety) Act 2001;
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
NZQA proposed unit standard
HW26 version 1
Page 2 of 4
Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992;
Human Rights Act 1993;
Privacy Act 1993.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Describe a relevant code of ethics in a health or wellbeing setting.
Evidence requirements
1.1
A code of ethics is described in terms of its principles and the values that
underpin those principles.
Range
evidence is required of two ethical principles and the values that
underpin those principles.
Outcome 2
Describe the application of a relevant code of ethics in a health or wellbeing setting.
Evidence requirements
2.1
Application of the code of ethics is described in terms of the candidate’s
responsibilities for dealing with ethical issues that may arise.
Range
2.2
ethical issues may include but are not limited to – confidentiality
and record keeping; sexual relationships between the parties to
the working relationship; cultural and gender issues; alcohol and
other drug issues; conflicting responsibilities towards different
parties to a working relationship;
evidence is required of application to two issues.
Options for dealing with ethical disputes and grievances are described in terms
of the processes established by the health or wellbeing organisation that
developed the code of ethics, or the candidate’s own organisation, whichever is
appropriate.
Outcome 3
Describe professional and ethical behaviour in a health or wellbeing setting.
Evidence requirements
3.1
Professional behaviour is described in terms of legislation and organisational
policies and procedures.
3.1
Characteristics of ethical behaviour are described in terms of their application in
a health or wellbeing setting.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
NZQA proposed unit standard
3.2
Ethical responsibilities of the candidate to relevant parties are described in
accordance with the code of ethics.
parties may include but are not limited to – community,
consumers, colleagues, self;
evidence is required of one ethical responsibility related to each of
three parties.
Range
3.3
HW26 version 1
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The ways in which personal values, cultural practices, ethical requirements, and
consumer rights can all be respected are described in terms of organisational
policies and procedures.
Outcome 4
Work professionally and ethically in a health or wellbeing setting.
Evidence requirements
4.1
Professional behaviour is demonstrated in all work activities in accordance with
legislation and organisational policies and procedures.
4.2
Ethical behaviour is demonstrated in all work activities in accordance with
relevant standards and codes of ethics.
4.3
Ethical issues that arise during the course of providing services are handled in
accordance with organisational policies and procedures.
4.4
Appropriate professional and ethical boundaries are maintained in accordance
with legislation, relevant codes of practice, and organisational policies and
procedures.
Replacement information
This unit standard replaced unit standard 16849, and
23392.
Planned review date
31 December 2019
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process
Version Date
Last Date for Assessment
Registration
1
N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference
0222
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014
NZQA proposed unit standard
HW26 version 1
Page 4 of 4
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA,
before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses
of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by
NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and
which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that
applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies
to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMRs). The
CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing
to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors
and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Community Support Services ITO Limited info@careerforce.org.nz if
you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
Community Support Services ITO Limited
SSB Code 101814
 New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2014