Interactions between patients and health care professionals are at the heart of health care. These interactions have an essential ethical dimension that may at times be challenging. Supporting professionals and organisations to meet those challenges can help ensure that patient care is provided in an ethically appropriate manner. To assist in the achievement of these objectives, AHEC also developed a Clinical Ethics Capacity Building Resource Manual. The Australian Health Ethics Committee (AHEC) of NHMRC has developed this consensus statement to highlight: The provision of high quality health care is of utmost importance to Australians. State and Territory governments and the Commonwealth strongly support its provision. Health care should meet the needs of the community and be delivered in a just and equitable manner in accordance with accepted ethical principles. Interactions between patients and health care professionals are at the heart of health care. These interactions have an essential ethical dimension that may at times be challenging. Supporting professionals and organisations to meet those challenges can help ensure that patient care is provided in an ethically appropriate manner. The central role of clinical ethics services in promoting quality improvement in the delivery of health care is recognised by accreditation programs1,2 , some of which require health services to have explicit processes or structures in place for dealing with ethical issues arising in the clinical context. As such, the establishment and maintenance of clinical ethics capacity in hospital, community-based and other clinical settings is a core function of health services. Currently, clinical ethics services exist in a small number of larger public and private hospitals. These services generally provide access to clinical ethics committees for case consultation (in real time or retrospectively), input into hospital policy and guideline development and/or the provision of staff training and education. However, their development, role, terms of reference and level of resourcing are highly variable. AHEC recommends the development of nationally consistent guidelines for clinical ethics services. A national approach will help to ensure that clinical ethics services are effective, valued, sustainable and integrated into systems supporting the delivery of quality health care. Such guidance will:
1 National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards (NSQHS). Standard 1. Governance for Safety and Quality in Health Service Organisiations.
In the last century, there have been a number of developments in medicine that have revolutionised the field of medical practice. This has made it possible to diagnose diseases faster and more accurately. However, as new treatments are introduced and the field changes, healthcare professionals face new legal and ethical challenges. This blog will provide you with an insight into the issues involved in working in the healthcare sector. What are the differences between legal and ethical issues in healthcare? The healthcare sector is governed by sets of rules, regulations, laws and ethical standards. Laws are designed to protect individuals when making decisions about their healthcare. In addition, they also set out the responsibilities of healthcare professionals. However, there are differences between legal and ethical standards. Whilst legal standards are set by governmental laws, ethical standards do not necessarily have a legal basis. Legal standards are useful as they help people to understand what they are not allowed to do, whereas ethical standards are primarily based on human principles of right and wrong. With legal standards in place, authorities are allowed to enforce rules when people do something illegal, whereas ethical standards lack such regulation. Aside from the nature of both concepts, there is also a difference in how they are applied. Legal actions are applicable to any individual present within a state or country that implements that particular set of laws. On the other hand, ethical rights are considered a voluntary and personal act of an individual based on their perception of right and wrong. What are the legal and ethical issues in healthcare? The main legal issues in the healthcare system relate to medical negligence, informed consent and confidentiality. Here are a few legal issues that affect the healthcare system on a regular basis:
Ethical issues often involve the topics of confidentiality, informed consent and patient-doctor relationships. Below are some of the ethical issues that commonly arise in the healthcare system:
Every day, patients, families and healthcare professionals face ethical and legal decisions concerning medical treatments, practices, hospital management and other matters that arise in the healthcare industry. Obtaining a degree in the field of healthcare and its management can enable you to become aware of the legal and ethical healthcare issues that you may face in your career. If you are interested in getting a good grounding in the healthcare industry, then enrol onto the HND Healthcare Practice for England programme offered by St. Patrick’s London. This article was written by Deblina Dam and edited by Emma Chadwick. |