The ethics of ethical regulation : protecting the practitioner as well as the client

Professional regulatory bodies, including ethics committees and association boards, as well as government licensing authorities, oversee the ethical behaviour of health care professionals, and specifically monitoring their use of power. There is, however, relatively less scrutiny regarding the use of power by such regulatory bodies in the consideration of grievances against professionals. The quasi-legal nature of the administration of justice is explored and questioned, and significant limitations in the implementation of administrative law are addressed.