Ethical Issues

  • Ethical issues are questions of what is right, wrong, fair or responsible in health and social care. Understanding these can help inform how professionals behave and how services operate.

  • Informed Consent: It’s an essential prerequisite before starting any treatment or research on a person. Individuals have a right to understand and agree to any procedures or care they will receive.

  • Confidentiality: This means maintaining the privacy of a person’s information. Health and social care providers have a duty to protect the personal and medical information of those they serve.

  • Autonomy: This refers to the right of an individual to decide what is done to their body and to make informed decisions about their health.

  • Justice: This means treating individuals fairly, including giving equal treatment and care to all. Discrimination of any kind is not just.

  • Beneficence and Non-Maleficence: Beneficence means acting in the best interests of the patient or client, while Non-Maleficence means ‘do no harm’. Care providers should aim to maximise benefits while minimising harm to their service user.

  • Resource Allocation: This involves making decisions about how limited healthcare resources, like money, drugs, and staff, are shared between different patients or services. It should be done in a fair and transparent way.

  • Professional Boundaries: Health and social care professionals should maintain good relationships with their service users but avoid becoming too close or personal.

  • Integrity: This involves being honest, trustworthy, and maintaining high ethical standards in professional practise.

  • Deception and Honesty: In research, the use of deception must be justified and not harmful. In clinical care, deception is generally unacceptable.

  • Vulnerability: Some individuals, such as children, elderly and those with intellectual disabilities, are especially vulnerable and may require extra protection or consideration in health and social care.

Remember, understanding and applying these principles can help resolve moral and ethical dilemmas in health and social care.