The Case "Heal U Naturally Clinic": Legal And Ethical Principles

The complementary healthcare system is the approach in healthcare is focused in holistic service, natural and traditional types of therapies as well as homeopathy remedies and also does not involve processes of allopathic medicine. Additionally, there is the code of conduct which serves patients in a similar manner for each different case. The underlying principles are beneficence, non-maleficence and autonomy that allows a relation of trust and belief to grow between the healthcare professional and the patient. The Australian Government states that there are particular categories with different services that will be named as a contemporary healthcare service. These include minerals, vitamins, herbs, supplements, aromatherapies, homeopathic medicine as well as Ayurvedic medicine and Chinese medicine. Furthermore, healthcare professionals have a significant role in health education, environmental protection, laws affecting the health and well-being of the community as well as the allocation of society’s limited health resources. The public health professionals play a major role in the allocation of society’s scare healthcare resources, they also have a duty to prevent patients from accessing services which they are not entitled to.

In this particular case study there are numerous breaches in both the legal and ethical areas of the regular and contemporary healthcare services. It breaches the code of conduct, which is quite alike in regard to the services provided in Australia. This particular client has a history of chronic back and is dependent on the use of crutches. “Heal U Natureally Clinik” is the service the client found via a social media company, the notice declared that its company’s techniques and remedies would be able to treat this client with extreme back pain. This company legally violates its terms as the healthcare facility was located in a residential area and the only access to get to the business was a flight of stairs to an upstairs room. Furthermore, the client noticed that the stairs and hand rails for assistance were in in despair. Additionally, when the client first arrived at the clinic the client was not greeted by the practioner and noticed incorrect disposal of acupuncture needles that were disposed of with other general waste products. This is quite unsafe and dangerous and is regulatory breach, there was also zero privacy for the patient even after they informed the practitioner that they felt uncomfortable which the practitioner decided to ignore. This is both ethically and legally wrong as the patient has the right to their own privacy. Furthermore, the practitioner informed the client that she was very experienced having trained and practiced internationally. When the patient asked what type of training she had specifically the practitioner was unable to give a direct accurate response of her qualifications. Since the healthcare professional did not ask consent to the client prior to applying treatment of the massage and remedies used this was a major legal violation. The laws and acts the healthcare system breached was the duty of care, ethical code of conduct, professional and industry policies, law related to patient consent, general rules and laws regarding and reporting policies and the care and protection act 1998. All of these regulations and laws were breached by this particular healthcare facility. Additionally, the practitioner breached the law of ethical code of conduct due to the fact that when the patient decided not to proceed with the healthcare treatment the practitioner verbally abused the client by shouting at them to then physically pushing the patient and throwing her crutches which damaged the client’s property. Hence in this situation there was violation of ethical code of conduct.

There are numerous avenues the client can go down in this particular situation. As the client has certain rights that are available to them and they are able to seek support and help from different companies and organisation’s. Numerous rights were violated in the case of “Heal U Natureally Clinik” at the healthcare facility such as the ethical code of conduct, right to refuse care, the right of consent as well as the patients right to ask for the healthcare professionals experience and qualifications. These rights should have been implemented so that the patient could have prepared for their medical treatment both physically and mentally. In the case of “Heal U Natureally Clinik” all rights were breached as the practitioner acted inappropriate and unprofessional towards the client. Therefore, the client should take several different courses of action against the practitioner in regard to the breaches affecting the patient of this health practice. Firstly, the local police in the practitioner’s area should be notified that the clients suspect that the practitioner isn’t qualified and is running a business under false claims. From there the patient will be required to fill in a complaint form against the healthcare business. In this form important information such as that the facility did not as the patient for their consent prior to implementing the treatment onto the patient who had chronic back pain. The client can also provide information to the police that the healthcare professional refused to tell the patient their health qualifications and also changed the price of the service to a higher fee compared to what was stated on the social media site.

Therefore, this type of behaviour demonstrated by the healthcare professional can be seen as fraudulent. Additionally, further legal action can be taken, and the client can also make a formal complaint in relation to the violation of right to privacy. As the healthcare practitioner did not provide adequate privacy for the patient during their treatment session even when asked the practitioner that they felt uncomfortable. Furthermore, the patient should also report the social media site that had published the advertisement therefore it can be taken down so that no more future incidents occur like in this case.