Planning and Evaluating Remote Consultation Services: A New Conceptual Framework Incorporating Complexity and Practical Ethics

Planning and Evaluating Remote Consultation Services: A New Conceptual Framework Incorporating Complexity and Practical Ethics
Frontiers in Digital Health, 13 August 2021 https://doi.org/10.3389/fdgth.2021.726095

• Empirical findings have shown that decisions about remote consultation are fraught with contradictions and tensions—for example, between demand management and patient choice—leading to both large- and small-scale ethical dilemmas for managers, support staff, and clinicians. A novel framework, Planning and Evaluating Remote Consultation Services (PERCS) has been developed which focuses attention on the organizational digital maturity and digital inclusion efforts. The authors also present a set of principles for informing its application in practice, including education of professionals and patients.

Protect, respect, connect – decisions about living and dying well during COVID-19

Protect, respect, connect – decisions about living and dying well during COVID-19
CQC 18 March 2021

• A review of ‘do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation’ decisions during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
• Recommendations include 
• Information, training and support
• A consistent national approach to advance care planning
• Improved oversight and assurance

Updated good practice guidance around confidentiality for doctors

Confidentiality: good practice in handling patient information
General Medical Council 25 April 2017

• From 25 April 2017 all doctors practising medicine in the UK will be expected to follow revised, expanded and restructured GMC ethical guidance on confidentiality.

Ethical Procurement for Health (EPH) Workbook v2.0

Ethical Procurement for Health (EPH) Workbook v2.0
Sustainable Development Unit, updated March 2017

• This workbook aims to provide practical guidance for organisations in the health and social care sector to embed labour standards considerations into procurement and supplier management activities.

Managing ethical issues in QI or clinical audit projects

Guide to managing ethical issues in quality improvement or clinical audit projects
HQIP, 9 February 2017 [Optional Registration]

• The Guidance considers the important ethical considerations when undertaking an audit or Quality Improvement (QI) project, in terms of robust processes, programme management, accountability, and organisational processes.
• The Guidance recommends that every QI activity or clinical audit meets the following criteria: favourable benefit/risk balance, scientifically valid, equitable and reflecting priorities, values, and awareness of conflict of obligation to patients.

Public involvement in research

Public involvement in research
NHS Health Research Authority, INVOLVE 23 May 2016

• Joint publications outlining the evidence on how public involvement can help to make research more ethical and produce better outcomes, and guidance on public involvement within ethical review.

Ethical procurement for GPs and CCGs

Ethical procurement for GPs and CCGs
BMA and RCGP, May 2014

• The BMA in collaboration with the RCGP has published new guidance detailing how to introduce ethical and sustainable criteria into commissioning and procurement policies.
• As part of the authorisation process CCGs have to show commitment to sustainability, ethical procurement is seen as part of this commitment.

Guidelines on collaboration with the pharamceutical industry working together

Guidance on collaboration between healthcare professionals and the pharmaceutical industry: Ethics, transparency, partnership
Royal Pharmaceutical Society, 29 March 2012

• The ten things you should know..
• Dos and don'ts for healthcare professionals
• Dos and don'ts for the pharmaceutical industry

• Resources for joint working are included in the ABPI guidance and available on the DH website "Moving beyond sponsorship: Interactive toolkit for joint working between the NHS and the pharmaceutical industry"
• Training resources for healthcare professionals on the ABPI code of practice are available here:

Ethical decision-making

The National Inquiry into Ethical Decision Making in the NHS 
Centre for Innovation in Health Management, 6 Feb 2012

• A checklist for ethical decision-making with some simple, practical advice that can help NHS organisations to make better, more effective ethical decisions. Also consideration of specific ethical issues – fairness, justice, equity, equality, openness, honesty, transparency – which will play a role in decisions made by all trusts at some point.