Ethics and professionalism CPD for health practitioners in Australia [email protected]
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Online course · Australia

Dignity, Respect and Non-Discrimination in Healthcare

Equitable Care, Unconscious Bias and the Law on Discrimination

  • About 2 hours
  • 15 scenario questions
  • Reflective account
  • Certificate of completion
  • Online, self-paced

About this course

Discrimination in health care is often unintended: a missed adjustment, an assumption about a diagnosis, a label in the notes. This course helps practitioners recognise how indignity and discrimination happen and what the law and the codes require instead.

The course begins with what dignity means, what the Code requires, how indignity and discrimination happen and dignity for people in vulnerable situations. It then explains Commonwealth and state anti-discrimination law, direct and indirect discrimination, reasonable adjustments, exceptions and vilification.

Unconscious bias is covered in practical terms: how it works, diagnostic overshadowing, language and labels in records and strategies to reduce bias. Lessons on disability, age and mental health cover accessible care, ageism and stigma. A section on sex, gender and sexuality covers LGBTIQA+ people, women's health, culturally and linguistically diverse communities and people facing social disadvantage.

The final section deals with responding when a patient raises a discrimination concern, patients who discriminate or behave abusively, speaking up about colleagues and building inclusive services.

What you will learn

  • Describe what dignity and respect look like in routine care and what the Code requires
  • Identify the federal, state and territory laws that prohibit discrimination in health services
  • Tell direct from indirect discrimination and make reasonable adjustments for disability
  • Recognise unconscious bias and diagnostic overshadowing and reduce their effect
  • Use objective, person-first language in notes and conversation
  • Provide respectful care for older people, LGBTIQA+ people, women and diverse communities
  • Respond to discrimination concerns and manage discriminatory behaviour by patients
  • Help design inclusive services and a respectful team culture

Who this course is for

  • Registered practitioners in every profession
  • Practice managers and reception teams
  • Practitioners caring for people with disability, mental illness or complex needs
  • Team leaders building inclusive services
  • Practitioners responding to a discrimination complaint

How the course works

  1. Once you enrol, open the course from My Courses whenever it suits you. It runs in your browser on desktop or mobile, with nothing to install.

  2. Read 23 lessons grouped into 6 sections. Each lesson unlocks when you finish the one before, and your progress is kept in your browser between visits.

  3. Pause on the worked scenarios and reflection prompts. Anything you type is kept in your course pack, which you can download in Word format or print to PDF.

  4. Complete the final assessment of 15 scenario-based questions with a pass mark of 80% (12 of 15). Retakes are allowed.

  5. After the reflective account and feedback, the course is marked complete in your account and your certificate of completion becomes available. It states the estimated learning time (about 2 hours); log the time you actually spend.

Course content

7 sections · About 2 hours · 15-question final assessment

1Dignity and Respect as Professional Obligations4 lessons
  • What Dignity Means in Healthcare
  • What the Code of Conduct Requires
  • How Indignity and Discrimination Happen
  • Dignity for People in Vulnerable Situations
2Anti-Discrimination Law in Healthcare4 lessons
  • Commonwealth Anti-Discrimination Law
  • State and Territory Laws
  • Direct and Indirect Discrimination and Reasonable Adjustments
  • Exceptions, Clinical Judgement and Vilification
3Unconscious Bias and Equitable Clinical Decisions4 lessons
  • How Unconscious Bias Works
  • Diagnostic Overshadowing and Equitable Assessment
  • Language, Labels and Records
  • Practical Strategies to Reduce Bias
4Disability, Age and Mental Health3 lessons
  • Accessible Care for People With Disability
  • Older People and Ageism
  • Mental Illness and Stigma
5Sex, Gender, Sexuality and Diverse Communities4 lessons
  • Respectful Care for LGBTIQA+ People
  • Sex, Gender and Women's Health
  • Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities
  • People Facing Social Disadvantage and Stigma
6Responding to Discrimination and Building Respectful Services4 lessons
  • When a Patient Raises a Concern About Discrimination
  • When Patients Discriminate or Behave Abusively
  • Speaking Up About Colleagues
  • Building Inclusive, Respectful Services
7Conclusion, Final Assessment and Reflection4 lessons
  • Conclusion and key points
  • References and quick-reference guide
  • Final assessment (15 questions, 80% pass mark)
  • Your reflective account

Assessment and certificate

  • Certificate of completion stating the estimated learning time (about 2 hours); record the time you actually spend.
  • A written reflective account you can keep with your CPD records.

Questions about this course

What is diagnostic overshadowing?

It occurs when a person's symptoms are wrongly attributed to an existing condition, such as a disability or mental illness, so a new problem is missed. The course explains how to guard against it.

Which laws apply to discrimination in health services?

Commonwealth laws on race, sex, disability and age discrimination, plus the anti-discrimination or equal opportunity law of each state and territory. The course summarises how they apply.

What should I do if a patient refuses care from a colleague because of their race?

The course covers how to respond to discriminatory requests from patients, support the colleague and balance patient care with a safe workplace.

Is the course relevant to reception staff?

Much of it is. Unregistered staff are not bound by the codes, but discrimination law applies to the whole service.

How should I record this course in my CPD log?

Log the date, the course name and the time you actually spend; the certificate shows only the estimated learning time. Add two or three lines on what you will do differently, and file the certificate next to your reflective account.

Who runs this course?

Probity Courses, an education provider with no affiliation to Ahpra, the National Boards or any regulator. Your Board's own codes and guidelines always take precedence over course material.

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