Course Description

Ethics and Ethical Standards for Doctors (New Zealand) is a CPD course designed to help doctors understand, apply, and demonstrate ethical practice in line with the Medical Council of New Zealand (MCNZ) Good Medical Practice framework.

The MCNZ expects every doctor to practise with honesty, fairness, integrity, and respect. Ethical standards in New Zealand are also guided by the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights (1996), which defines patient rights to information, respect, dignity, and informed consent.

This course explores the four core principles of ethics — autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice — together with New Zealand’s regulatory and cultural expectations, including Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles and culturally safe practice. Through regulator-aligned guidance and local case studies, learners gain practical strategies to navigate ethical dilemmas, sustain professionalism, and demonstrate ethical competence in CPD, remediation, and fitness-to-practise contexts.