Clinical ethics is a practical discipline that provides a structured approach to assist health professionals in identifying, analysing and resolving ethical issues that arise in clinical practice. Ongoing developments in medical technology, particularly at the beginning and end of life, may raise awareness of, or concerns about the ethical dimensions of clinical care. There are also changing social, cultural and public attitudes in Australia towards the professions, including medicine and a growing emphasis on patient choice. Occasionally, health professionals and patients may disagree about values or face choices that challenge their values. It is then that ethical problems may arise.
NSW Health aims to ensure that ethical issues that arise in clinical practice in the NSW public health system are identified early and dealt with in an accountable and transparent way that benefits patients, health practitioners, the public health system and the community.
NSW Health supports clinical ethics through: