In 2017 RACS became a proud signatory to the Australian Consensus Framework for Ethical Collaboration (ACF) in the Healthcare Sector, now known as the Australian Ethical Health Alliance (AEHA).
The AEHA It is a collaboration of professional bodies, industry organisations, hospitals and health services associations, regulators, patient and advocacy groups who have come together to tackle ethical issues within the health sector. It is a government supported but sector led voluntary initiative which initially began with five bodies (RACS include) and has subsequently grown to more than sixty signatories.
At the end of 2020 RACS was asked to complete a self-evaluation form outlining RACS’ progress against the ACF principles. In the response, the College highlights our ongoing commitment to the Respect program, including a number of new policies and standards that were introduced in 2020 targeted at standards of behaviour and workforce conduct. This includes the new RACS Workforce Conduct Policy.
The College’s evaluation report also details the formation of the Environmental Sustainability in Surgical Practice Working Group, which has already led a number of important submissions to Government enquiries.