Ethical Issues- Allocation Of NHS Resources Flashcards
Ethical issues- explain
Which conditions should be invested in first and which areas receive the greater share of the budget
Should it be allocated to the most people who need it e.g. A&E, utilitarian perspective
Should it be allocated to younger people rather than the older generation? Younger people will benefit for longer (Quality Adjusted Life Years), e.g. lots of research into childhood leukaemia means now there is a 80% chance of recovery
Should the NHS treat people who have self-inflicted illnesses e.g. Diabetes type 2, liver cirrhosis, obesity over those with genetic conditions e,g, cystic fibrosis or Huntington’s and their condition is not their own fault
Is it morally acceptable to give people in a certain area of the country more treatments on the NHS than in others e.g. In Hackney more is spent on the homelessness issue while in Chelsea there is more available for more rounds of IVF on the NHS
Some patients cannot access the same medical treatments e.g, with cancer which creates a rich and poor divide in the country depending on where they live, we should all be valued equally
What is the issue?
The NHS has to invest in research to find new cures and treatments for medical conditions and then work out how to allocate these resources between people within their allocated budget.
