Ethics

There is a wide range of ethical issues associated with palliative and end of life care, which often attract considerable public and media attention. Our approach to ethical issues will be based on this foundation:

NCPC believes that the values of all those involved (patients, families, informal and professional carers) should shape the ethical framework of the provision of palliative care. Decisions about appropriate care will be made by balancing duties, rights and ethical principles in each individual case. NCPC places particular emphasis on evidence, equity, dignity and choice when developing its approach to ethical issues.

Recent activities in this area include:

• Advance care planning and the Mental Capacity Act 2005
• Responding to proposed changes to legislation and guidance on assisted suicide
• Clinical and practice issues in end of life care decision-making, including the use of sedatives and provision of spiritual support

Ethics Forum

We host an Ethics Forum which meets twice a year to discuss ethical issues affecting people approaching the end of life. Members consist of a broad range of professionals and people with personal experience with a background or active interest in ethics. The Forum informs the work we do and ensure it is rooted in good practice and evidence.

It meets jointly with the Ethics Committee of the Association for Palliative Medicine on an annual basis. This is to exchange updates on each of the organisation’s ethics activities and to work together when appropriate.