The EMHS Clinical Ethics Committee (CEC) exists to support high-quality, ethically grounded patient care by providing clinicians with structured guidance when they encounter complex or uncertain ethical challenges. Its purpose is to promote thoughtful, transparent, and patient-centred decision-making through the integration of ethical principles, clinical realities, and the values of patients and families.
The CEC offers a multidisciplinary forum for reflection, discussion, and analysis of ethically challenging situations, helping clinicians navigate issues such as consent and capacity, end-of-life decision-making, treatment limitation, cultural considerations, moral distress, and conflicts between stakeholders. By drawing on ethical theory, relevant policy, and practical experience, the CEC assists clinicians to clarify the ethical dimensions of care, explore available options, and articulate the reasoning that underpins their decisions.
In fulfilling this role, the CEC aims to strengthen ethical awareness across the organisation, foster a culture of respectful dialogue, and enhance the moral quality of clinical practice. It does not replace clinical judgement or decision-making authority; rather, it serves as a supportive, advisory resource that empowers clinicians to provide care that is compassionate, equitable, and aligned with the rights, values, and best interests of patients.