Ethics at TGHC

What is ethics?

Ethics is the reflection on day-to-day moral decisions confronted when caring for patients.

Ethics* is a way of critically looking at issues such as:

• Deciding what we should do (what decisions are right or acceptable)
• Explaining why we should do it (justifying our decision using ethical principles)
• Describing how we should do it (the manner or way we respond)

What is a clinical ethicist?

A clinical ethicist is trained to help identify, explore, and advise on complex ethical issues that arise in healthcare settings. Clinical ethicists respond to ethical dilemmas involving patients, as well as organizational and research ethics issues.

When can the ethicist help?

The following are a few examples of when an ethicist can help:

• The values or goals of a patient, family, and/or healthcare professional(s) are different or unclear, which makes it hard to reach a decision that everyone agrees on.
• A patient needs to make a treatment decision(s) and is unsure of what choices may be best for them.
• A substitute decision-maker(s) has to make a decision(s), and they are unsure of or disagree about how to do so.
• There are concerns about unfair or unjust treatment.
• There are questions about informed consent processes.

Ethics Brochure

• Ethics at TGHC – Trifold Printout

Advance Care Planning

• Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General Power of Attorney Kit:
  http://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/pgt/poakit.asp

Medical Assistance in Dying

• Government of Ontario: Medical assistance in dying and end‑of‑life decisions:
  https://www.ontario.ca/page/medical-assistance-dying-and-end-life-decisions

Mental Health

• Guide to Mental Health and the Law in Ontario:
  https://www.blg.com/en/News-And-Publications/Documents/Publication_4649.pdf
• Psychiatric Patient Advocate Office:
  https://www.ontario.ca/page/psychiatric-patient-advocate-office

Privacy and Confidentiality

• Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
  http://www.ipc.on.ca

Substitute Decision-Making

• Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee
  http://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/pgt/
• Government of Ontario: A Guide to the Substitute Decisions Act
  https://www.attorneygeneral.jus.gov.on.ca/english/family/pgt/pgtsda.pdf

Consent and Capacity Issues

• Consent and Capacity Board
  http://www.ccboard.on.ca

Organ Donation and Transplant Trillium Gift of Life Network

• http://www.giftoflife.on.ca

How do I contact an ethicist?

Toronto Grace receives ethics services through Unity Health Toronto’s Centre for Clinical Ethics.

If you require ethics support or have questions about whether an ethicist can help, feel free to reach out to the unit manager as a first step, who can connect you with the ethicist at Toronto Grace.

For more information, please go to:

Centre for Clinical Ethics

416-530-6750

www.ccethics.com

_{*Definition paraphrased from Dr. Barbara Secker, University of Toronto Joint Centre for Bioethics}