Treating health consumers, families and colleagues with respect enables relationships that support health consumers’ health and well-being. This means behaving in a way that values the worth, dignity and uniqueness of the individual. It is a fundamental requirement of professional naturopathic relationships and ethical conduct.

Being honest, acting consistently and honouring commitments to deliver safe and competent care is the basis of health consumers’ trust in naturopaths. Integrity means consistently acting according to values and principles and being accountable and responsible for our actions. As health professionals, naturopaths are personally accountable for their practice, and must be able to justify their decisions.

Partnership occurs when health consumers are given sufficient information, in a manner they can understand, to make an informed choice about their care and
treatment and are fully involved in their care and treatment. Their independence, views and preferences are valued. Naturopaths must be aware of the potential for a power imbalance between themselves and the health consumer, especially when that health consumer has limited knowledge or may be in some way vulnerable.

Naturopaths need to establish trusting relationships with health consumers to effectively provide care that involves using personal information, emotional and physical support, and touch. Health consumers need to be able to trust naturopaths to be: safe and competent, not to harm them, and to protect them from harm. They need to trust naturopaths to work in the interests of their health and well-being. Naturopaths must be trustworthy and maintain the public’s trust in the naturopathy
profession.