An Analysis of Ethical Issues in Health and Social Care: A Report

This report provides a comprehensive analysis of ethical issues within the context of a health and social care setting, specifically focusing on a case study involving an inner-city medical center. The report identifies key ethical concerns, such as the unprofessional conduct of healthcare professionals, including a physiotherapist's discontinuation of treatment and a surgeon's behavior. It explores these issues through various ethical perspectives, including the importance of respecting human dignity, adhering to professional codes of ethics, and applying ethical theories like virtue ethics, utilitarianism, and natural law. The report also examines relevant ethical principles such as beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice. Furthermore, the report offers recommendations for improving professional practices, emphasizing the need for feedback from service users, addressing unethical behavior, and promoting ethical conduct to enhance patient care and satisfaction.

HEALTH AND SOCIAL
CARE ETHICS

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
1) ETHICAL ISSUES AT STAKE IN CASE STUDY...................................................................1
2) ETHICAL PERSPECTIVE ON ISSUES....................................................................................1
3) ALTERNATE PERSPECTIVE...................................................................................................2
4) ETHICAL ISSUES FROM PERSPECTIVES............................................................................4
5) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES...............................................7
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCE...................................................................................................................................8

ILLUSTRATION INDEX
Illustration 1: Core values for health and social care.......................................................................3

INTRODUCTION
Considering ethics for providing health and social care services are essential impacts on
effectiveness of the organisation. It is also related with building up service takers' trust with
treatment and hospitalisation as well increasing sense of responsibility for professionals. The
present report is based on case study of inner city medical centre of Australia related to behaving
with patients differently. However, ethical issues occurred through behaviour of Henry as
physiotherapist who does treatment of Jim as of bilateral knee replacement. Similarly, character
of surgeon who arrives to work smelling of alcohol. Therefore, ethical issues in the medical
centre and perspective on them are to be discussed. Besides this, recommendations for reducing
the issues will be introduced with help of this report.
1) ETHICAL ISSUES AT STAKE IN CASE STUDY
According to case study, it is identified that Henry is physiotherapist for 8 years in inner-
city medical centre with orthopaedic surgeons, rheumatologist, message therapist. However, for
treatment of Jim who is following bilateral knee replacements, he discontinues treatment even
after 3 months of therapy (Anderson and et.al., 2014). It is because of waiting list of other
patients for his treatment and further suggest going for message therapist which is not ethical and
rational. It is unethical for the entity and impacts on professionalism as well its environment
negatively. For this thing, a meeting is conducted with practice manager Sally regarding Henry's
decision for discontinuing the treatment. Further, he raises his concern with Sally over the well
being of the surgeons. However, Henry tells that surgeon arrives in the centre smelling alcohol
and calls surgeon with assurance that she will keep it secret. But still the conditions are same
which remain unethical and unprofessional. It is an ethical issue for the entity to behaving with
patients and providing treatment facilities. Therefore, ethical issues are raised in inner centre for
treatment and hospitalisation of patients.
2) ETHICAL PERSPECTIVE ON ISSUES
Ethical issues are occurred in inner city centre as do not behave well with patients for
Henry and for surgeon to arrive in the entity smelling alcohol. It is unethical for the entity
regarding treatment and other services. It is essential to reduce occurred issues in the centre
during treatment and hospitalisation of patients. It impacts on behaviour of service providers and
environment of the entity negatively (Bowling, 2014). However, satisfaction level of patients get
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decreased with services and earning of the organisation. In perspective of ethics, some essential
considerations are required to be considered for effective management of centre and providing
more effective services to its patients like; analysing professionals' behaviour and treating with
patients, taking strict action towards unethical behaviour of the doctors and specialists. Including
this, environment of the entity should be positive and friendly for well being of service takers
and providing satisfied hospitalisation. Moreover, development programs should be organised
for encouraging professionals towards behaving with patients and taking care of all does and
don't. Therefore, treating with patients should be effectively which impact on organisation's
environment and services of hospitality (Chestnut and et.al., 2014).
Thus, ethical perspective as for reducing the issue is to well behave with patients and
encouraging professionals for taking care of all ethical considerations during performing their
jobs. However, it is required to teaching ethics among professionals and doctors of the centre
affect treatment and hospitalisation for its patients. Hence, considering and implementing these
ethical perspective will be effective for inner centre and treating with patients well (Muth and
et.al., 2014).
3) ALTERNATE PERSPECTIVE
Other than above mentioned perspective, different alternates are required to be
considered for effectiveness of inner centre and providing health care services to its patients. It
includes medical considerations, taking feedback from patients regarding services of the entity
and so on. Besides this, creating coordination among professionals and doctors of the centre
should be considered which impact on its environment (Drotar, 2014). Including this, for
medical, analysing manufacturing and expiry date is needed to be considered. Likewise, it is
needed for service providers to understand each patient's health and issue and further doing
treatment. Moreover, feedback from patients is also needed for which professionals' behaviour is
analysed required to be improved.
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Apart from this, other ethical perspective like; there should be action taken on breaking
the rules which are strictly restricted. In terms of ethics and behaviour of professionals, it is
needed to take care of patients by fulfilling their requirements and proper hospitalisation (Hart,
2013). Similarly, practice manager should consult with each and every professional of inner
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Illustration 1: Core values for health and social care
(Source: Ethics in health and social care, 2016).

centre clinic for creating environment according to their comfortability. Along with this,
considering safety and security for workers is also needed for the entity in consideration of
health and safety legislation. Besides this, taking care of salary, incentive, bonus are required to
be analysed for taking care of professionals. Accordingly, considering food and accommodation
facilities for patients' welfare will be effective for enhancing satisfaction level and effective
treatment. Therefore, all these considerations are essential for health and social care as well
satisfying patients with its treatment and hospitalisation at maximum level.
It is analysed that if inner centre consider all these considerations then ethical issues will
be reduced as well patients would be more satisfied. However, treatment and hospitality facilities
of the organisation will be effective impact on its effectiveness. Including this, by taking strict
action on unethical behaviour of doctors, they will be able to treat with service takers more
efficiently (Bennett, Dolin and Blaser, 2014).
4) ETHICAL ISSUES FROM PERSPECTIVES
Occurred issues in inner centre are as breach of duty of care, failure to respect human
dignity, offense against requirement to be honest are needed to be reduced. It is not good for the
entity and treatment and hospitalisation of patients. In accordance to this, some essential factors
are to be considered against ethical issues (Kadushin and Harkness, 2014). Therefore, ethical
issue and perspective can be understood as:
Requirement to respect human dignity and human rights
For health and social care, it is required to respect human rights, dignity for treatment and
hospitalisation of patients. In this regard, avoidance of their health and issues and suggesting
improperly as well behaving wrongly is ethical issue. In this, taking care of each and all patients'
rights are considered to be followed on. It impacts on their satisfaction level with services as well
taking care of them efficiently. However, in respect of professionals of the centre, it is needed to
consider ethically regarding their salary, health and safety legislation etc. Therefore, by focusing
on equality right for each and every individual patient of the organisation, it will be able to
provide equal facilities and mutual rights for all of them (Green and Thorogood, 2013).
Moreover, human rights as safety and protection towards obstacles are required to be
considered in health and social care affect social welfare and building up their trust towards
hospitalisation. Including this, organisation also has some rights against workers in case of
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misbehaviour with patients and do not treating well. Therefore, human dignity and rights are
essential to be considered and followed on for equal services and equal behaviour.
Future profession's codes of ethics/ professional conduct and professional standards
There are some profession's codes of ethics made for health and social care regarding
ethics. For example; professional codes of ethics, professional codes of conduct and legal
requirements (Pizzo and Poplack, 2015). These all codes are required to be considered and
followed on in case of occurrence of ethical issues and protecting entity against them. Therefore,
these codes can be understood as follows:
 Professional codes of ethics:
Ethics for inner city, professionals and patients are coded in document which are
followed on for treatment and hospitalisation of the patients. However, some essential ethics and
regulations required to be considered are determined under this professional codes of conduct
(Pentland and et.al., 2016). According to these codes and determined issue, it is needed for inner
city centre to control over unethical behaviour of Henry and surgeon affect services and
environment of the entity.
 Professional codes of conduct:
Under these codes of conduct, performance and behaviour of professionals is recorded for their
taking care and following on proper legislation. In this regard, an individual's behaviour, attitude
and performance is evaluated towards treatment and hospitality. Thus, codes of conduct of
professionals is essential for the entity and effective health and social care (Guerrero and et.al.,
2013).
 Legal requirements:
Several legal requirements are determined for recording and maintaining professionals'
data and performance. However, legal requirements for inner city centre and legislation for
workers are identified affect
Ethical theory
Ethical theories are related to taking care of professionals and getting reward and
appreciation to them (Pronk, 2014). Moreover, treating well and equal with all of them is
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recognised these theories affect treatment services and satisfaction of patients with health and
social care. However, ethical theories for inner centre to reduce the issue can be understood as:
 Virtue ethics:
This theory is related to behaviour of professionals with patients that how they behave
and handle the issue. It includes habitual action and settled sentiment for which emotional
values, desires, perceptions and attitudes of professionals towards service takers (McKenna and
et.al., 2015). Therefore, virtue ethics theory is related for treating with patients effectively and
equally. In this regard, principles are determined regarding behaving with them which is required
for Henary to treat with Jim and for surgeon to behave himself and taking care of
professionalism. According to this theory, it is required for the centre to consider this theory
during of service takers and taking behaving with them effectively.
 Utilitarianism:
Under this theory, provisions are determined as equality and behaving with patients in well
mannered. However, this theory states that it is essential for a professional to treat with patients
equally and providing treatment and hospitalisation more effectively (Mechanic, 2014).
Therefore, for inner centre case study, it is related and vital to focus on this theory and its impact
on organisation's services for treatment and hospitalisation of patients.
 Natural law:
This theory is for considering human behaviour and rights for which treatment and
hospitalisation of the inner centre get impacted. However, behaving with patients and care takers
should be done in consideration of natural behaviour for understanding patients' health issues and
work upon them (Anderson and et.al., 2014).
Principles of health care ethics
Different principles are made for health and social care such as; beneficence, non-
maleficence, justice, respect for human dignity, honesty in treatment and principle of double
effect and so on (Chestnut and et.al., 2014). Therefore, for reducing ethical issue of inner centre
clinic, these principles are required to be considered and followed for treatment and
hospitalisation of patients. However, taking care of human rights and dignity is effective for
safety and security as well treating with patients effectively. Including this, respect for autonomy
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and professionals behaviour towards treatment is essential. Similarly, considering justice for
human and treatment for Jim is required for the centre to improve professionalism and practising
better. Therefore, all these principles are required to be considered for reducing ethical issues and
increasing professionalism of Henary and surgeon of the entity.
5) RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES
There is necessity of improving professional practice in inner centre in context to treating
with patients and health care services. In this regard, being analyser, I would like to give some
recommendations for effective treatment and hospitalisation as well satisfying service takers at
maximum level. It includes analysing professionals' behaviour and manner in which they treat
with patients. However, feedback should be taken from service users to identify entity's services
and their attitude towards the services. Including this, there should be action taken towards
surgeon's behaviour and encouraging for treatment ethically (Drotar, 2014). Thus, all these
recommendations should be considered for hospitalisation and treating with patients more
effectively.
CONCLUSION
From the case study, it is concluded that professionals' behaviour with patients is key tool
for inner centre entity and its services. In this regard, ethical issues occurred in the workplace asa
well its influence on entity's environment is discussed. However, different techniques are
identified for reducing the issues including theories and principles to be followed on. Thus,
necessity of effective professionalism has been understood for providing services and increasing
patients' satisfaction level with them.
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REFERENCE
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Hart, R. A., 2013. Children's participation: The theory and practice of involving young citizens
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Kadushin, A. and Harkness, D., 2014. Supervision in social work. Columbia University Press.
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mental and behavioral health system. Health Affairs. 31(2). pp.376-382.
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Muth, C. and et.al., 2014. The Ariadne principles: how to handle multimorbidity in primary care
consultations. BMC medicine. 12(1). pp.1.
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