I put the link to this page right at the top of the home page for one very good reason:
It important that you should have absolute trust in the practitioner you choose. Many practitioners bury these policies in the small print or do not include them at all!
Practitioners of Remedial Massage abide by the West Australian Code of Ethics for Health Care Workers, administered by the Health and Disability Services Complaints Office,
HADSCO.wa.gov.au.
The complete version of the WA code of conduct can be viewed here.
There is a shorter version in Easy English which can be viewed here.
Putting these details first also is a constant reminder to me that a practitioner is only as good as the treatment they provided in their last consultation. For me, the most important client I will ever have is the client I am currently working on.
My intention is to provide a courteous, effective, affordable treatment in a comfortable clinic where all clients feel they are in a safe environment.
To meet legal and ethical obligations to clients, it is necessary to
regularly review Clinic Policies, Association policies, position statements and guidelines, Informed Consent, Client History forms, client history forms and local council requirements.
These policies have all been reviewed in January 2026.
The first principle of a Remedial Massage treatment is DO NO HARM.
Whilst the intention of Remedial Massage is to do a great deal of good in terms of relieving aches and pains and headaches, no risks should be taken which may cause harm.
DO NO HARM also applies to all aspects of the practitioner - client relationship / interaction. This principle of DO NO HARM applies in all the topics outlined below.
Insurance
Consent
Privacy and Confidentiality
Ethics
Complaints policies and procedures
Clinic setting
I have the maximum possible Professional Indemnity and Public Liability insurance. I don't expect ever to have to use it. However, I aim to be the best that I can be, and to offer a premium level of service. I have the best public indemnity and public liability insurance because I value my clients highly!
I have $60 million cover for public indemnity and public liability insurance.
Obtaining informed consent is a legal and ethical obligation.
You can withdraw consent to the treatment at any time! I endeavour to clearly explain what I am doing and why I am doing it. However, if there is any part of the treatment you are not comfortable with, please immediately tell me to stop.
The Universe equipped me with big ears, all the better to hear you with! I am an extremely active listener.
In particular, if the pressure is too hard (or too soft), please provide immediate feedback, so I can make a responsive adjustment to my treatment.
I ALWAYS ask for consent before undoing a lady's bra in order to work on that area.
There are some cross fibre treatments I do with some clients sitting on the side of the table. I explain that the flicks send vibrations up and down the muscle to relieve tension. However, these flicks can be uncomfortable, so I ask for verbal consent before performing this aspect of the treatment.
As a health care professional, I am required to keep client treatment records. I prefer to use paper based records, with records kept in a locked filing cabinet in the clinic which can also be locked.
I have real concerns about how private client records are when they are stored online. You simply have no idea whose prying eyes are looking at your records. For example, I use a busy medical centre with many GPs with many thousands of clients (they use the term 'patients'!). But how many people working there have access to client records?
You may wish to use a pseudonym.
I fight for the privacy of your health records. I would not discuss or share your records or any information with anyone without your consent. That includes other health care professionals and health funds.
The details of health issues you have and the records I keep of the treatments remain strictly private and confidential.
My privacy policy can be viewed here. It is also displayed in the clinic.
If you want a copy of your client history to show to another practitioner, health fund, workers' compensation insurer, lawyer etc, please complete a Consent to Share form which I will email to you.
I will also include an explanation of abbreviations I use in maintaining client records, which can be viewed here.
Whereas dentists and opticians often send you reminders to encourage regular check ups or eye tests, I do not do so unless requested by a client. I think there is too much spam in the world without me adding to it!
As a health care professional, I am a member of a professional association which requires members to abide by a Code of Ethics.
When I first changed careers in 2004, I became a member of the Association of Remedial Masseurs. This was because I felt the name most accurately described our occupation.
However, it was run by volunteers and, eventually, after several years, closed its doors due to lack of volunteers to manage the Association.
Since then, I have been a member of the Austraian Association of Massaage Therapists, AAMT.
AAMT has the most members of any association representing bodyworkers providing massage, remedial massage, myotherapy and other types of body work, and has the most potential to be able to lobby and influence federal government policies to inspire greater recognition of the role that body work such as Remedial Massage can play in the relief of aches and pains..
All members of AAMT are required to abide by its Code of Ethics.
The Code of Ethics can be viewed here.
We must also abide by the West Australian Code of Ethics for Health Care Workers, which can be viewed here.
All members are required to have current First Aid qualifications which are regularly renewed. We also have to have Public Liability insurance. I consider insurance so important, I have raised it as a separate topic.
The code of ethics sets standards for privacy and confidentiality, keeping accurate treatment records for clients, having continuing professional education and so on.
Whilst the Code of Ethics requires me to keep records for a minimum of seven years, I NEVER destroy client records! Occasionally I have a client return after a gap of 15 years, after they have lived interstate for years and then returned to WA, for example.
Each year I engage in more CPE (Continuing Professional Education) than I am required to do. I do so because I want to provide the best quality service to my clients, and to develop a reputation for having a great skill set to go with over 20 years's experience and the passion to provide effective relief from pain in as few visits as possible.
I am not planning on receiving too many complaints!
However, I do have policies and procedures in place to try to effectively and speedily resolve any complaints to your satisfaction. These can be found in documents you can download in the links below.
If you have a complaint about ANY health care professional in Western Australia, and you are unable to resolve the issue with that practitioner, there is a a WA State Government department, HADSCO, which is there to resolve complaints.
However I have policies and procedures in place to resolve any issues before it gets that far!
These policies and procedures can be viewed below:
The first attachment contains my policies for dealing with compliments and complaints.
The second attachment contains the form you can download and complete to submit either a compliment, complaint or suggestion.
But if you are unable to resolve a complaint with any health care practitioner to your satisfaction, you may need to refer the matter to HADSCO
I strive to have a welcoming, comfortable clinic which puts you at your ease so that you gain maximum benefit from the consultation
The experience starts with a warm welcome even before you reach the front sliding door, with a great garden.
There is a welcoming waiting room, adorned with greenery. If you have guests with you, they may sit in the waiting room or in the clinic itself, at your discretion. There is a comfortable sofa in the clinic.
The clinic itself has great temperature control for your comfort in the height of summer or the depths of winter.
I use an extremely comfortable massage table, which is very soft to lie on, and, as you would expect, has a face and arm rest extension.
I have used disinfectant wipes for the face and arm rest and other surfaces for at least a decade before COVID.
There are also several original artworks from Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos. It is designed to provide a relaxing ambience so that you gain maximum benefit and the best possible results from your session.
Me performing chair massage at the beach in 2004
Gate to the City of Anchor
Sunset by indigenous artist, Maitland Hill. Purchased in the IGA in Dwellingup!
Arthur Galletly
The Remedial Massage Guy
9 Apus Close
Rockingham WA 6168
Phone: 0407 173 320
By appointment only