About the Clinical Ethics Committee
The Clinical Ethics Committee (CEC) offers support and assistance for clinicians dealing with ethical issues arising from clinical practice and patient care within St. George's NHS Foundation Trust. It offers an opportunity for confidential discussion and facilitates structured analysis in order to support clinicians in robust ethical decision making.
The committee membership comprises volunteers from a range of specialities and disciplines including doctors, nurses, allied healthcare professionals, therapists, students and lay members.
The committee meets monthly on the second Thursday of the month from 5pm to 7pm. In more urgent situations a representative panel of members can usually meet at short notice if required.
If you would like to refer a case to the CEC please contact us using the email clinicalethicscommittee@stgeorges.nhs.uk.
Please note that the Clinical Ethics Committee is not the research ethics committee. If you are looking for research ethics please follow this link.
Bringing a case to the Clinical Ethics Committee
The principal purpose of the CEC is to help clinicians resolve ethical problems regarding the care of their patients. By the time a case is bought it is often both complex and difficult.
Before the meeting
Please prepare and send a summary of the case to the committee from a trust email.
Email: clinicalethicscommittee@stgeorges.nhs.uk.
Information which is helpful includes:
- What are the medical facts of the case
- What is or are the decision(s) to be made
- What is the ethical dilemma to be addressed
- What are the patient’s and/or family’s values and beliefs, and whether they are aware that the case is being discussed
This will be sent to committee members in advance so they can consider it.
Meeting date and venue
Date and time: second Thursday of the month, 5 to 7 pm, your arrival time will be agreed in advance
Venue: CEC meetings are currently being held virtually. You will be sent an invitation to the meeting.
Please include any team members whom you think appropriate.
The case discussion
There are usually around 10 – 15 people in the room (not including yourselves), from all different backgrounds, both lay and clinical. One CEC member will be allocated to chair the discussion.
You will be asked for more information about the case, including for example: does a proposed treatment have a 1%, a 10% or a 60% chance of having a beneficial effect? If the patient lacks capacity what is the likelihood that he might regain it later? What are the relevant family and social factors?
We attempt to use recognised models for ethical analysis to analyse the case. The purpose of this is to ensure that no important angle is missed when considering the ethical aspects.
The CEC will assist you in reaching your own conclusions and help you decide how to proceed. That said, there is generally a consensus reached by the end of the discussion. Occasionally a vote is taken.
After the meeting
You will be sent a copy of the part of the minutes pertaining to your case. If you have any corrections please let the secretary know. We would also be grateful for any feedback about your case, and of your experience of bringing it, because this assists in the development of the skills of the CEC. A committee member may be in contact with you in due course to enquire.
Thank you for bringing your case, and we look forward to meeting you.