Examples Of Ethical Issues In Health And Social Care

1. Is there an ethical violation, dilemma or concern and, if so, what is it?

The first ethical issue in this situation is connected with privacy and confidentiality. Every human service agency is obligated to protect the client's right to privacy and confidentiality by assuring the integrity, safety, and security of client records (National Organization for Human Services, 2015). Although, now the agency clients are expressing a verbal consent for the housekeeping staff member to use their information and “counsel” them, his lack of qualification may lead to the spreading of this information to third parties. The clients have trusted their private information to the agency, and in case of further information leakage the agency will be fully responsible for the harm caused by it.

In care home setting where residents’ personal information can be easily accessed by. As a health profession it may be the occasion when dilemma arises of what records and reports, how, and when can be shared with whom. In order to balance the tension between confidentiality and openness, apart from strictly adhering with legal requirement and policies and procedures as I have mentioned above, there are ethical principles can be considered.

Within the health and social care setting there are numerous peices of legislation and codes of practice designed to protect individuals.These are there to protect from breaches of confidentiality were the information held on that individual is only viewed by staff directly involved in their care.

Carers must respect confidential information and clearly explain agency policies about confidentiality to service users and carers. Carers and service users must be informed about confidentiality rules if not and something goes wrong it can cause a lot of problems to the care home.

According to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services, the Affordable care Act from President Obama gives consumers more options and benefits when seeking coverage from insurance company. It offers lowering cost as well as gets more access to high quality of care. This law creates Patient’s Bill of Rights that is very effective to protect consumers from any abuses or fraud from insurance company. Some preventive services are available to many Americans especially Medicare recipients at no cost. Not just that, they also receive a special offer of 50 percent discount for any well-known drugs in the market place under Medicare named “donut hole.” The Affordable Care Act helps other organizations and programs to convince healthcare providers

I intend to look at why confidentiality is so important within healthcare and how it relates to the Nursing and Midwifery Council’s (NMC) Code. I will look at the

All of the staff need to make sure that confidentiality is paramount. Staff have to read and understand the Data Protection Act of 1998. We have to make sure that we are clear about our standards of conduct, that we are expected to meet. We are encouraged to use the codes of conduct to maintain our own practice

Therefore every care practitioner should endeavour to promote theses rights when dealing with services users and their relatives. Furthermore, it is crucial for service users to understand that any information they give will be with strict confidentiality. It is a legal requirement for health and social care services to keep personal data confidential.

Keeping information safe and only passing it on where there is a clear right to it and a clear need to do so, is an important right for all service users because: 1. Service users may not trust a care worker who does not keep information confidential; 2. Service users may not feel valued or able to keep their self-esteem if their private details are shared with others; 3. Service user’s safety may be put at risk if details of their

3) Confidentiality – You cannot promise to keep everything confidential because some of the information will need to be passed on to people higher up so something can be done about the abuse but you need to let the resident know that.

People have a right to have choice, which includes food, religion, interests etc. This can be promoted by listening to what the person wants, following the needs assessment or by asking the individual themselves what they would like to happen and how they would like to be supported. It is everybody’s responsibility to treat the residents equally, politely and like a valued member of society.

Three ways patient confidentiality is maintained in the reception/waiting area of a medical office could be: 1) Do not use the patients’ full name. Only the use of their first name or last name is needed. 2) Make sure that the computer screen in the reception area is not able to be seen by other patients. And make sure medical records are not kept out or open in view of others. 3) Make sure all staff conversations cannot be heard by others. Especially when a patients’ personal information could be overheard.

In this essay I will be elucidating and explaining the legal and ethical issues relate to health and social care. Legal and ethical issues are usually involved individuals having to abide, practise of law. Though, in most cases there will be a consequence for not abiding by the law. Within the health care setting, professionals practice, there are many regulating, jurisprudence and criterion of practice. Performing an abortion is legal, may not be considered ethical by other health care professionals or member of employers.

Confidential Information One of the most basic rules of ethics concerns what you see and hear as you work in a health care facility. Much of this information is of personal concern to the patient and must be kept in strictest confidence) Figure 3-1. When you are upset or under pressure, you sometimes find yourself telling a friend something that in a calmer moment you would never have said. The sick person is under great stress and may confide in you, for the same reasons.