{"id":19227,"date":"2022-01-24T15:57:16","date_gmt":"2022-01-24T15:57:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bant.org.uk\/?page_id=19227"},"modified":"2025-11-10T12:08:29","modified_gmt":"2025-11-10T12:08:29","slug":"professionalism-in-practice","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/bant.org.uk\/bant-professional-practice-handbook\/professionalism-in-practice\/","title":{"rendered":"PROFESSIONALISM IN PRACTICE"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” el_id=”top-section” z_index=”” css=”.vc_custom_1619337773730{padding-bottom: 45px !important;}”][vc_column][vc_raw_html]JTVCcHJpbnRmcmllbmRseSU1RA==[\/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]BANT members form the largest collective group to represent the nutritional therapy profession in the UK and are expected to conduct themselves professionally, reflecting positively on themselves and the profession, to advance the acceptance of nutritional therapy as part of the primary healthcare provision. A key aspect of this is ensuring competence, working within capabilities and confidence, and knowing when to refer on. Also important is the requirement for clear communication, honesty and transparency, understanding the client duty of care, avoiding conflicts of interest and using social media and online applications professionally. Also covered are guidelines on referral fees and the requirement to inform BANT of criminal offences.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”” row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” angled_section=”no” text_align=”left” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” z_index=”” anchor=”main_anchor1″][vc_column]\n\n\t\n\t Practitioner Health and Wellbeing<\/span><\/i><\/span>\t<\/a>\n\n[vc_separator type=”transparent” thickness=”5″ up=”2″ down=”2″]\n\n\t\n\t Professional Conduct<\/span><\/i><\/span>\t<\/a>\n\n[vc_separator type=”transparent” thickness=”5″ up=”2″ down=”2″]\n\n\t\n\t Ensuring Competence<\/span><\/i><\/span>\t<\/a>\n\n[vc_separator type=”transparent” thickness=”5″ up=”2″ down=”2″]\n\n\t\n\t Choosing and Referring Clients<\/span><\/i><\/span>\t<\/a>\n\n[vc_separator type=”transparent” thickness=”5″ up=”2″ down=”2″]\n\n\t\n\t Referral Fees<\/span><\/i><\/span>\t<\/a>\n\n[vc_separator type=”transparent” thickness=”5″ up=”2″ down=”2″]\n\n\t\n\t Clear Communication<\/span><\/i><\/span>\t<\/a>\n\n[vc_separator type=”transparent” thickness=”5″ up=”2″ down=”2″]\n\n\t\n\t Honesty and Transparency<\/span><\/i><\/span>\t<\/a>\n\n[vc_separator type=”transparent” thickness=”5″ up=”2″ down=”2″]\n\n\t\n\t Duty of Care<\/span><\/i><\/span>\t<\/a>\n\n[vc_separator type=”transparent” thickness=”5″ up=”2″ down=”2″]\n\n\t\n\t Conflicts of Interest<\/span><\/i><\/span>\t<\/a>\n\n[vc_separator type=”transparent” thickness=”5″ up=”2″ down=”2″]\n\n\t\n\t Using Social Media \/ Online Applications<\/span><\/i><\/span>\t<\/a>\n\n[vc_separator type=”transparent” thickness=”5″ up=”2″ down=”2″]\n\n\t\n\t Criminal Offences<\/span><\/i><\/span>\t<\/a>\n\n[vc_separator type=”transparent” thickness=”30″][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” anchor=”practitioner-health-and-wellbeing” el_class=”anchordiv”][vc_column_inner el_class=”anchor_col” css=”.vc_custom_1618397491357{padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 30px !important;padding-bottom: 30px !important;padding-left: 30px !important;}”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Practitioner Health and Wellbeing:<\/i> Top<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

Practitioners often work with stressed and agitated clients and\/or may have their own physical or mental stressors to consider. It is important for practitioners to not forget their own wellbeing to be able to provide professional care and service to their clients.<\/p>\n

You must get and follow professional advice about whether or how you should modify\u00a0your own practice when clients may be at risk or disadvantaged because of your own physical or mental wellbeing. Notify CNHC and BANT at the earliest opportunity if you have a health issue that could affect your ability to run your practice professionally to provide personalised and timely nutritional therapy services.<\/p>\n

Please review section E4 in CNHC Code of Conduct Ethics and Performance<\/a>.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column_inner][\/vc_row_inner][vc_separator type=”transparent” thickness=”30″][vc_row_inner row_type=”row” type=”full_width” text_align=”left” css_animation=”” anchor=”professional-conduct” el_class=”anchordiv”][vc_column_inner el_class=”anchor_col” css=”.vc_custom_1618397491357{padding-top: 30px !important;padding-right: 30px !important;padding-bottom: 30px !important;padding-left: 30px !important;}”][vc_column_text]<\/p>\n

Professional Conduct:<\/i> Top<\/span><\/a><\/h3>\n

Professional conduct is reflected in behaviour by being polite, honest, respectful and considerate when working with clients, the public, and other nutrition or healthcare professionals. Practitioners must not act in a way which could undermine public confidence or bring the profession into disrepute.<\/p>\n

Any comments made about another practitioner or healthcare professional must be honest, accurate and sustainable. It is unacceptable to discriminate against or unjustly criticise another practitioner or health professional to any third party or to the public. If a practitioner believes a colleague\u2019s conduct, health or professional behaviour could pose a risk to clients\u2019 wellbeing or is liable to bring BANT or the profession into disrepute, they should inform the Professional Practice Panel<\/a>, who may advise them to make a complaint via the BANT Complaints and Disciplinary Procedure.<\/a><\/p>\n

Registered Nutritional Therapy Practitioners (NTs) and BANT Registered Nutritionists\u00ae (BANT RNs) must ensure their own beliefs and values do not prejudice a client\u2019s care and wellbeing, or communications to the public. They must not allow their own views on a client\u2019s lifestyle, age, gender, sexuality, disability, ethnicity, religion, political views, culture or social economic status to inappropriately affect their assessment or care of a client. NT communications to the public from a professional platform such as your Facebook or other social media pages should only be within the context of generic health and lifestyle information and should not include personal political points of view.<\/p>\n

Health equity is a primary concern in healthcare, and it is fundamentally important that BANT members support diversity, equity and inclusion. Discrimination within a nutritional therapy practice could include:<\/p>\n