I have been redoing the Hospice’s policy on confidentiality, and this means I have looked at loads of codes of ethics and practice that might be relevant to palliative care and social work. So here is a listing of British ones; often these websites have extensive additional documentation as well as the codes. Any palliative care and social work agency ought to keep up to date on the codes that are relevant to their work; most of these have been updated within the last five years. You could also compare them, to see how they differ on points of interest.
Professional regulators
Care Councils
There are different councils, covering at the moment social workers, but eventually all social care employees, for each UK nation, but they have an agreed Code of Practice (which is currently being revised); the Code also covers social care employers, who have specific duties (which hospices should ensure that they comply with if they employ social workers)
http://www.gscc.org.uk/codes
General Medical Council
Guidance on Good Medical Practice; there are other more detailed documents on this website
http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/good_medical_practice/index.asp
Health Professions Council
This will be taking in psychologists and counsellors, but currently covers arts therapists, biomedical scientists, chiropodists/podiatrists, clinical scientists, dietitians, occupational therapists, operating department practitioners, orthoptists, paramedics, physiotherapists, prosthetists & orthotists, radiographers, speech & language therapists.
Standards of Conduct, Performance and Ethics May 2008
http://www.hpc-uk.org/aboutregistration/standards/standardsofconductperformanceandethics/
Nursing and Midwifery Council
The Code: Standards of Conduct, Performace and Ethics for Nurses and Midwives; adopted 1st May 2008
http://www.nmc-uk.org/aArticle.aspx?ArticleID=3056
Professional organisations
British Association of Social Workers
Code of Ethics; last revised in 2002
http://www.basw.co.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=64
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy
Ethical Framework for Good Practice in Counselling and Psychotherapy; the most recent revision is dated January 2009.
http://www.bacp.co.uk/admin/structure/files/pdf/566_ethical%20framework%20revised%202009.pdf
British Medical Association
Medical Ethics Today: The BMA’s Handbook of Ethics and Law is a substantial book, the second edition of which was published in 2004, and there are updates dated 2007.
http://www.bma.org.uk/ethics/MET2004.jsp
British Psychological Society
Code of Conduct and Ethical Guidelines; last republished in 2006
http://www.bps.org.uk/the-society/code-of-conduct/code-of-conduct_home.cfm
International Federation of Social Workers
Ethics in Social Work: Statement of Principles, is designed to be a framework within which national members of the Federation can devise their own guidelines. Their website also has links to national codes of ethics throughout the world
http://www.ifsw.org/en/f38000032.html