{"id":33407,"date":"2026-07-06T14:04:49","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T14:04:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/?page_id=33407"},"modified":"2026-07-12T17:48:37","modified_gmt":"2026-07-12T17:48:37","slug":"good-medical-practice-explained","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/good-medical-practice-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"Good Medical Practice Explained"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"33407\" class=\"elementor elementor-33407\" data-elementor-post-type=\"page\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-aacef16 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"aacef16\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a4722d2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"a4722d2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<!-- Healthcare Ethics Courses \u2014 Medical Board article \u2014 paste into an Elementor Custom HTML block. SEO (title, meta description, canonical, social, schema) is configured in Yoast. -->\r\n<article class=\"hec-article\">\r\n  <style>\r\n    .hec-article{--green-900:#0E3A21;--green-700:#1B5236;--green-600:#236B43;--gold:#D4A23A;\r\n      --ink:#15231C;--body:#2B3A31;--muted:#566A5E;--line:#DBE5DD;--sage:#F1F6F1;--white:#fff;\r\n      --shadow:0 1px 2px rgba(16,40,24,.04),0 10px 30px rgba(16,40,24,.06);\r\n      box-sizing:border-box;font-family:\"DM Sans\",system-ui,-apple-system,\"Segoe UI\",sans-serif;\r\n      color:var(--body);line-height:1.7;-webkit-font-smoothing:antialiased;background:var(--white);}\r\n    .hec-article *,.hec-article *::before,.hec-article *::after{box-sizing:border-box;}\r\n    .hec-article a{color:var(--green-700);text-decoration:none;}\r\n    .hec-article a:hover{text-decoration:underline;}\r\n    .hec-article .wrap{max-width:760px;margin:0 auto;padding:0 22px;}\r\n\r\n    .hec-article .crumbs{border-bottom:1px solid var(--line);background:#FAFCFA;}\r\n    .hec-article .crumbs ol{max-width:760px;margin:0 auto;padding:13px 22px;list-style:none;display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:.4rem;align-items:center;font-size:.8rem;color:var(--muted);}\r\n    .hec-article .crumbs a{color:var(--green-700);font-weight:500;}\r\n    .hec-article .crumbs li[aria-current]{color:var(--ink);font-weight:600;}\r\n    .hec-article .crumbs .sep{color:#B9C7BC;}\r\n\r\n    .hec-article .head{padding:44px 0 8px;}\r\n    .hec-article h1{font-family:\"Playfair Display\",Georgia,serif;font-weight:700;color:var(--green-900);\r\n      font-size:clamp(1.9rem,3.6vw,2.6rem);line-height:1.12;letter-spacing:-.01em;margin:0 0 16px;}\r\n    .hec-article .meta{display:flex;flex-wrap:wrap;gap:8px 16px;align-items:center;font-size:.85rem;color:var(--muted);margin-bottom:6px;}\r\n    .hec-article .meta .by{color:var(--ink);font-weight:600;}\r\n    .hec-article .meta .dot{color:#C2D0C5;}\r\n\r\n    .hec-article .lead{font-size:1.16rem;line-height:1.6;color:var(--ink);margin:18px 0 8px;}\r\n\r\n    .hec-article .takeaways{background:var(--sage);border:1px solid var(--line);border-left:4px solid var(--green-600);\r\n      border-radius:12px;padding:20px 24px;margin:26px auto;}\r\n    .hec-article .takeaways h2{font-family:\"DM Sans\",sans-serif;font-size:.78rem;letter-spacing:.08em;text-transform:uppercase;\r\n      color:var(--green-700);margin:0 0 12px;font-weight:700;}\r\n    .hec-article .takeaways ul{margin:0;padding-left:20px;}\r\n    .hec-article .takeaways li{margin:0 0 8px;color:var(--body);}\r\n    .hec-article .takeaways li:last-child{margin-bottom:0;}\r\n\r\n    .hec-article h2{font-family:\"Playfair Display\",Georgia,serif;font-weight:600;color:var(--green-900);\r\n      font-size:1.55rem;line-height:1.2;margin:36px 0 12px;}\r\n    .hec-article h3{font-family:\"DM Sans\",sans-serif;font-weight:700;color:var(--ink);font-size:1.12rem;margin:24px 0 8px;}\r\n    .hec-article p{margin:0 0 16px;}\r\n    .hec-article ul,.hec-article ol{margin:0 0 16px;padding-left:22px;}\r\n    .hec-article li{margin:0 0 8px;}\r\n\r\n    .hec-article .note{background:#FBFDFB;border:1px solid var(--line);border-left:4px solid var(--gold);\r\n      border-radius:10px;padding:16px 20px;margin:22px 0;font-size:.96rem;color:var(--body);}\r\n    .hec-article .note p{margin:0;}\r\n    .hec-article .note .note-h{display:block;font-weight:700;color:var(--ink);margin-bottom:5px;font-size:.95rem;}\r\n    .hec-article .note.wb{border-left-color:var(--green-600);background:var(--sage);}\r\n\r\n    .hec-article .courses{margin:30px auto;}\r\n    .hec-article .courses > h2{margin-bottom:6px;}\r\n    .hec-article .courses .intro{font-size:.95rem;color:var(--muted);margin:0 0 16px;}\r\n    .hec-article .course{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:14px;background:#fff;border:1px solid var(--line);\r\n      border-radius:12px;padding:15px 18px;margin-bottom:10px;transition:transform .15s ease,box-shadow .15s ease,border-color .15s ease;}\r\n    .hec-article .course:hover{transform:translateY(-2px);box-shadow:var(--shadow);border-color:#BFD3C4;text-decoration:none;}\r\n    .hec-article .course-tag{flex:0 0 auto;font-size:.68rem;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.05em;text-transform:uppercase;\r\n      color:var(--green-700);background:var(--sage);border-radius:999px;padding:5px 11px;}\r\n    .hec-article .course-name{flex:1 1 auto;font-weight:600;color:var(--ink);line-height:1.3;}\r\n    .hec-article .course-arr{flex:0 0 auto;color:var(--green-600);display:flex;}\r\n    .hec-article .course-arr svg{width:18px;height:18px;}\r\n\r\n    .hec-article .siblings{border-top:1px solid var(--line);margin-top:36px;padding-top:26px;}\r\n    .hec-article .siblings h2{font-size:1.3rem;margin:0 0 14px;}\r\n    .hec-article .sib{display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:space-between;gap:12px;padding:13px 16px;\r\n      border:1px solid var(--line);border-radius:10px;margin-bottom:10px;font-weight:600;color:var(--ink);}\r\n    .hec-article .sib:hover{background:var(--sage);text-decoration:none;}\r\n    .hec-article .sib svg{width:18px;height:18px;color:var(--green-600);flex:0 0 auto;}\r\n\r\n    .hec-article .faq{margin-top:36px;}\r\n    .hec-article .faq > h2{margin-bottom:10px;}\r\n    .hec-article .faq-item{border-bottom:1px solid var(--line);padding:16px 0;}\r\n    .hec-article .faq-item:first-of-type{border-top:1px solid var(--line);}\r\n    .hec-article .faq-item h3{margin:0 0 6px;color:var(--green-900);font-size:1.05rem;}\r\n    .hec-article .faq-item p{margin:0;color:var(--body);}\r\n\r\n    .hec-article .author{display:flex;gap:16px;align-items:flex-start;background:#FAFCFA;border:1px solid var(--line);\r\n      border-radius:14px;padding:20px 22px;margin:34px 0 0;}\r\n    .hec-article .author .av{flex:0 0 auto;width:52px;height:52px;border-radius:50%;background:var(--green-700);color:#fff;\r\n      display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;font-family:\"Playfair Display\",serif;font-size:1.2rem;font-weight:700;}\r\n    .hec-article .author .who{font-weight:700;color:var(--ink);}\r\n    .hec-article .author .cred{font-size:.86rem;color:var(--muted);margin:2px 0 0;}\r\n    .hec-article .author .bio{font-size:.9rem;color:var(--body);margin:8px 0 0;}\r\n\r\n    .hec-article .disclaimer{margin:28px 0 56px;padding:16px 20px;background:#FAFCFA;border:1px solid var(--line);\r\n      border-radius:10px;font-size:.82rem;color:var(--muted);line-height:1.55;}\r\n\r\n    .hec-article a:focus-visible{outline:3px solid var(--gold);outline-offset:2px;border-radius:4px;}\r\n    @media (prefers-reduced-motion:reduce){.hec-article *{transition:none!important;}}\r\n<\/style>\r\n\r\n  <nav class=\"crumbs\" aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\">\r\n    <ol>\r\n      <li><a href=\"\/au\/\">Home<\/a><\/li>\r\n      <li class=\"sep\" aria-hidden=\"true\">&rsaquo;<\/li>\r\n      <li><a href=\"\/au\/knowledge-support\/\">Knowledge &amp; Support<\/a><\/li>\r\n      <li class=\"sep\" aria-hidden=\"true\">&rsaquo;<\/li>\r\n      <li><a href=\"\/au\/knowledge-support\/\">Medical Board<\/a><\/li>\r\n      <li class=\"sep\" aria-hidden=\"true\">&rsaquo;<\/li>\r\n      <li aria-current=\"page\">Good Medical Practice<\/li>\r\n    <\/ol>\r\n  <\/nav>\r\n\r\n  <header class=\"head wrap\">\r\n    <h1>Good Medical Practice: A Doctor\u2019s Guide to the Code of Conduct<\/h1>\r\n    <div class=\"meta\">\r\n      <span>10 min read<\/span>\r\n      <span class=\"dot\" aria-hidden=\"true\">&bull;<\/span>\r\n      <span>Last updated June 2026<\/span>\r\n    <\/div>\r\n    <p class=\"lead\">Good Medical Practice is the document every Australian doctor is measured against \u2014 yet many have not read it closely since medical school. This guide explains what the code of conduct covers, the standards it sets across clinical care, communication, professional behaviour and self-care, and why it matters whenever a concern is assessed.<\/p>\r\n  <\/header>\r\n\r\n  <div class=\"takeaways wrap\">\r\n    <h2>Key takeaways<\/h2>\r\n    <ul>\r\n      <li>Good Medical Practice: a code of conduct for doctors in Australia is published by the Medical Board of Australia and describes what is expected of every registered doctor.<\/li>\r\n      <li>It sets out principles across good patient care, working with patients and colleagues, professional behaviour, minimising risk, and maintaining your own health.<\/li>\r\n      <li>It complements the AMA Code of Ethics and aligns with the Declaration of Geneva and the International Code of Medical Ethics.<\/li>\r\n      <li>The code applies in all settings, including telehealth and social media.<\/li>\r\n      <li>Conduct that varies significantly from the code must be explained and justified; serious or repeated failure can affect registration.<\/li>\r\n    <\/ul>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\r\n      <h2>What is Good Medical Practice?<\/h2>\r\n      <p>Good Medical Practice is the Medical Board of Australia\u2019s code of conduct. It describes the standards of ethical and professional conduct expected of doctors by their peers and the community, and it was developed through wide consultation with the profession and the public. It complements the Australian Medical Association\u2019s Code of Ethics and aligns with the Declaration of Geneva and the World Medical Association\u2019s International Code of Medical Ethics. The current code is the version revised in 2020.<\/p>\r\n      <p>The code is a framework to guide professional judgement rather than a rule for every situation. It applies in all settings \u2014 including technology-based consultations and how doctors use social media.<\/p>\r\n      <aside class=\"note\"><p>The code is explicit that if your conduct varies significantly from its standards, you should be prepared to explain and justify your decisions and actions. Serious or repeated failure to meet the standards may have consequences for your registration.<\/p><\/aside>\r\n      <h2>What the code covers<\/h2>\r\n      <h3>Providing good care<\/h3>\r\n      <p>Assessing the patient (history and examination), forming and carrying out a suitable management plan, coordinating and maintaining continuity of care, referring when it is in the patient\u2019s interests, and respecting patients\u2019 decisions. It also expects you to practise within the limits of your competence, training and experience, and to manage risk and patient safety.<\/p>\r\n      <h3>Working in partnership with patients<\/h3>\r\n      <p>Being courteous, respectful, compassionate and honest; protecting privacy and confidentiality; obtaining informed consent and supporting shared decision-making; and recognising the power imbalance in the relationship and never exploiting patients physically, emotionally, sexually or financially. Effective communication \u2014 listening, respecting patients\u2019 views, and responding to their concerns \u2014 runs throughout.<\/p>\r\n      <h3>Working with other healthcare professionals<\/h3>\r\n      <p>Mutual respect, clear communication, understanding your role within a team, and resolving differences constructively. Working in a team does not reduce your personal accountability for the care you provide.<\/p>\r\n      <h3>Professional behaviour<\/h3>\r\n      <p>Maintaining professional boundaries; honesty and probity, including only signing reports, certificates and records you reasonably believe to be true; advertising that is not false or misleading and that avoids testimonials and inducements; identifying and managing conflicts of interest; using social media and making public comment responsibly; and applying the code\u2019s standards to medico-legal or third-party assessments, where the usual therapeutic relationship does not exist.<\/p>\r\n      <h3>Maintaining professional performance<\/h3>\r\n      <p>Engaging in lifelong learning and continuing professional development, keeping your knowledge and skills up to date, and practising within your scope. Our guide to <a href='\/au\/knowledge-support\/medical-board\/reflective-practice-insight-for-doctors\/'>reflective practice and insight for doctors<\/a> looks at this in detail.<\/p>\r\n      <h3>Caring for your own health<\/h3>\r\n      <p>Recognising that your own health affects safe practice \u2014 having your own GP, not self-diagnosing or self-prescribing, and seeking help when you need it. The mandatory notification thresholds are deliberately set high so they do not deter you from getting care.<\/p>\r\n      <h2>Why the code matters in practice<\/h2>\r\n      <p>When a notification is assessed, the central question is whether the doctor\u2019s conduct met the standard described in Good Medical Practice. Knowing the code helps you practise safely and, if a concern ever arises, helps you reflect and respond against the right benchmark. See <a href='\/au\/knowledge-support\/medical-board\/medical-board-complaints-notifications-explained\/'>how complaints and notifications about doctors are handled<\/a>.<\/p>\r\n      <h2>Guidelines that sit alongside the code<\/h2>\r\n      <p>Where the code is general, the Board issues more detailed guidelines \u2014 for example on advertising, telehealth, sexual boundaries, mandatory notifications and social media. These should be read together with the code, and you can find them on the Medical Board of Australia website under Codes, Guidelines and Policies.<\/p>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <section class=\"courses wrap\">\r\n      <h2>Related CPD courses<\/h2>\r\n      <p class=\"intro\">Build the knowledge and reflective skills this article describes with CPD designed for Australian practitioners:<\/p>\r\n        <a class=\"course\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/courses\/professionalism-and-professional-standards-for-doctors\/\"><span class=\"course-tag\">CPD course<\/span><span class=\"course-name\">Professionalism and Professional Standards for Doctors<\/span><span class=\"course-arr\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M9 6l6 6-6 6\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/a>\r\n        <a class=\"course\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/courses\/ethics-and-ethical-standards-for-doctors\/\"><span class=\"course-tag\">CPD course<\/span><span class=\"course-name\">Ethics and Ethical Standards for Doctors<\/span><span class=\"course-arr\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M9 6l6 6-6 6\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/a>\r\n        <a class=\"course\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/courses\/ethical-boundaries-with-patients-and-colleagues\/\"><span class=\"course-tag\">CPD course<\/span><span class=\"course-name\">Ethical Boundaries with Patients and Colleagues<\/span><span class=\"course-arr\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M9 6l6 6-6 6\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/a>\r\n        <a class=\"course\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/courses\/effective-communication-for-healthcare-professionals\/\"><span class=\"course-tag\">CPD course<\/span><span class=\"course-name\">Effective Communication for Healthcare Professionals<\/span><span class=\"course-arr\"><svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M9 6l6 6-6 6\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/a>\r\n  <\/section>\r\n\r\n  <section class=\"siblings wrap\">\r\n    <h2>Continue the Medical Board series<\/h2>\r\n        <a class=\"sib\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/medical-board-of-australia-investigations-explained\/\">Complaints and Notifications Explained<svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M9 6l6 6-6 6\"\/><\/svg><\/a>\r\n        <a class=\"sib\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/reflective-practice-insight-for-doctors\/\">Reflective Practice and Insight for Doctors<svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" stroke-width=\"2\" stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M9 6l6 6-6 6\"\/><\/svg><\/a>\r\n  <\/section>\r\n\r\n  <section class=\"faq wrap\">\r\n    <h2>Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\r\n      <div class=\"faq-item\"><h3>What is the current version of Good Medical Practice?<\/h3><p>The current code is the version revised in 2020, published by the Medical Board of Australia.<\/p><\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"faq-item\"><h3>Does it apply to social media and telehealth?<\/h3><p>Yes. The code applies in all settings, including technology-based consultations and how doctors use social media.<\/p><\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"faq-item\"><h3>Is the code legally binding?<\/h3><p>It is issued under the National Law and is the standard against which conduct is assessed. Significant departures must be justified and can affect registration.<\/p><\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"faq-item\"><h3>How is it different from the AMA Code of Ethics?<\/h3><p>Good Medical Practice is the Board\u2019s regulatory code of conduct; it complements the AMA Code of Ethics, which is the profession\u2019s ethical statement.<\/p><\/div>\r\n      <div class=\"faq-item\"><h3>Where can I read the full code?<\/h3><p>On the Medical Board of Australia website, under Codes, Guidelines and Policies.<\/p><\/div>\r\n  <\/section>\r\n\r\n  <div class=\"wrap\">\r\n    <p class=\"disclaimer\">This article is general information for education and CPD purposes. It is not legal advice and does not create a practitioner\u2013adviser relationship. If you have received a notification, seek advice from your indemnity insurer or medical defence organisation, your professional association, or an independent lawyer experienced in medical regulation matters. Healthcare Ethics Courses is an independent education provider and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of AHPRA or any National Board; regulator names are used for reference only.<\/p>\r\n  <\/div>\r\n\r\n  <script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\r\n{\r\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\r\n  \"@graph\": [\r\n    {\r\n      \"@type\": \"Article\",\r\n      \"@id\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/knowledge-support\/medical-board\/good-medical-practice-explained\/#article\",\r\n      \"headline\": \"Good Medical Practice: A Doctor\\u2019s Guide to the Code of Conduct\",\r\n      \"description\": \"A doctor\\u2019s guide to Good Medical Practice, the Medical Board of Australia\\u2019s code of conduct \\u2014 what it covers, the standards it sets, and why it matters whenever a concern is assessed.\",\r\n      \"inLanguage\": \"en-AU\",\r\n      \"datePublished\": \"2026-06-28\",\r\n      \"dateModified\": \"2026-06-28\",\r\n      \"author\": {\r\n        \"@type\": \"Person\",\r\n        \"name\": \"Dr Shehzad Iqbal\",\r\n        \"jobTitle\": \"Founder, Healthcare Ethics Courses\",\r\n        \"description\": \"MRCS, MRCGP, PG Cert Healthcare Law & Ethics (University of Dundee)\"\r\n      },\r\n      \"publisher\": {\r\n        \"@type\": \"Organization\",\r\n        \"name\": \"Healthcare Ethics Courses\",\r\n        \"url\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/\"\r\n      },\r\n      \"mainEntityOfPage\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/knowledge-support\/medical-board\/good-medical-practice-explained\/\",\r\n      \"about\": [\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Thing\",\r\n          \"name\": \"Medical Board of Australia\"\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Thing\",\r\n          \"name\": \"Medical regulation in Australia\"\r\n        }\r\n      ]\r\n    },\r\n    {\r\n      \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\r\n      \"itemListElement\": [\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\r\n          \"position\": 1,\r\n          \"name\": \"Home\",\r\n          \"item\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/\"\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\r\n          \"position\": 2,\r\n          \"name\": \"Knowledge & Support\",\r\n          \"item\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/knowledge-support\/\"\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\r\n          \"position\": 3,\r\n          \"name\": \"Medical Board\",\r\n          \"item\": \"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/knowledge-support\/\"\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\r\n          \"position\": 4,\r\n          \"name\": \"Good Medical Practice\"\r\n        }\r\n      ]\r\n    },\r\n    {\r\n      \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\r\n      \"mainEntity\": [\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"What is the current version of Good Medical Practice?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\r\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\r\n            \"text\": \"The current code is the version revised in 2020, published by the Medical Board of Australia.\"\r\n          }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"Does it apply to social media and telehealth?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\r\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\r\n            \"text\": \"Yes. The code applies in all settings, including technology-based consultations and how doctors use social media.\"\r\n          }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"Is the code legally binding?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\r\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\r\n            \"text\": \"It is issued under the National Law and is the standard against which conduct is assessed. Significant departures must be justified and can affect registration.\"\r\n          }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"How is it different from the AMA Code of Ethics?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\r\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\r\n            \"text\": \"Good Medical Practice is the Board\\u2019s regulatory code of conduct; it complements the AMA Code of Ethics, which is the profession\\u2019s ethical statement.\"\r\n          }\r\n        },\r\n        {\r\n          \"@type\": \"Question\",\r\n          \"name\": \"Where can I read the full code?\",\r\n          \"acceptedAnswer\": {\r\n            \"@type\": \"Answer\",\r\n            \"text\": \"On the Medical Board of Australia website, under Codes, Guidelines and Policies.\"\r\n          }\r\n        }\r\n      ]\r\n    }\r\n  ]\r\n}\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/article>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home &rsaquo; Knowledge &amp; Support &rsaquo; Medical Board &rsaquo; Good Medical Practice Good Medical Practice: A Doctor\u2019s Guide to the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"full-width-container","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"disabled","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-33407","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Good Medical Practice: A Doctor&#039;s Code of Conduct Guide<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"A doctor&#039;s guide to Good Medical Practice, the Medical Board of Australia&#039;s code of conduct \u2014 what it requires and how it is used in complaints and CPD.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/good-medical-practice-explained\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Good Medical Practice: A Doctor&#039;s Code of Conduct Guide\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A doctor&#039;s guide to Good Medical Practice, the Medical Board of Australia&#039;s code of conduct \u2014 what it requires and how it is used in complaints and CPD.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/good-medical-practice-explained\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Healthcare Ethics Courses\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-12T17:48:37+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/site-logo-au.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/au\\\/good-medical-practice-explained\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/au\\\/good-medical-practice-explained\\\/\",\"name\":\"Good Medical Practice: A Doctor's Code of Conduct Guide\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/au\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-06T14:04:49+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-12T17:48:37+00:00\",\"description\":\"A doctor's guide to Good Medical Practice, the Medical Board of Australia's code of conduct \u2014 what it requires and how it is used in complaints and CPD.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/au\\\/good-medical-practice-explained\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/au\\\/good-medical-practice-explained\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/au\\\/good-medical-practice-explained\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/au\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Good Medical Practice Explained\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/au\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/au\\\/\",\"name\":\"Healthcare Ethics Courses\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/au\\\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/au\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/au\\\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Healthcare Ethics Courses\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/au\\\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/au\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/au\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/09\\\/site-logo.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/au\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2024\\\/09\\\/site-logo.svg\",\"width\":111,\"height\":115,\"caption\":\"Healthcare Ethics Courses\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/healthcareethicscourses.com\\\/au\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"}}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Good Medical Practice: A Doctor's Code of Conduct Guide","description":"A doctor's guide to Good Medical Practice, the Medical Board of Australia's code of conduct \u2014 what it requires and how it is used in complaints and CPD.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/good-medical-practice-explained\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Good Medical Practice: A Doctor's Code of Conduct Guide","og_description":"A doctor's guide to Good Medical Practice, the Medical Board of Australia's code of conduct \u2014 what it requires and how it is used in complaints and CPD.","og_url":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/good-medical-practice-explained\/","og_site_name":"Healthcare Ethics Courses","article_modified_time":"2026-07-12T17:48:37+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1000,"height":1000,"url":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/site-logo-au.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/good-medical-practice-explained\/","url":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/good-medical-practice-explained\/","name":"Good Medical Practice: A Doctor's Code of Conduct Guide","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/#website"},"datePublished":"2026-07-06T14:04:49+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-12T17:48:37+00:00","description":"A doctor's guide to Good Medical Practice, the Medical Board of Australia's code of conduct \u2014 what it requires and how it is used in complaints and CPD.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/good-medical-practice-explained\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/good-medical-practice-explained\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/good-medical-practice-explained\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Good Medical Practice Explained"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/#website","url":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/","name":"Healthcare Ethics Courses","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/#organization","name":"Healthcare Ethics Courses","url":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/site-logo.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/site-logo.svg","width":111,"height":115,"caption":"Healthcare Ethics Courses"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/33407","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=33407"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/33407\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33920,"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/33407\/revisions\/33920"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/healthcareethicscourses.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33407"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}