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Consumers’ Rights Breached: Upholding Professional Standards in Massage Therapy

The Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) recently ruled against a non-member massage therapist for breaching the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights in three separate cases. These incidents involved inappropriate conduct, communication failures, and a disregard for client safety—highlighting the critical need for ethical and professional standards in massage therapy.

While this practitioner was not a member of Massage Aotearoa New Zealand (MANZ), the HDC acknowledged the MANZ Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice as a benchmark for professionalism within the industry. Deputy Commissioner Dr. Vanessa Caldwell reiterated the importance of maintaining ethical and professional standards to safeguard client trust and wellbeing.

As proud members of Allied Health Aotearoa New Zealand (AHANZ), MANZ remains committed to raising the bar in massage therapy. Our members adhere to rigorous standards of education, ethics, and ongoing professional development, ensuring the highest level of care for their clients.

To ensure your massage therapist meets professional and ethical standards, we encourage consumers to verify their membership with MANZ using our Find a Massage Therapist tool.

For additional details and to view the full HDC report, visit the HDC website.