Pandemic preparedness: principles and ethics

Intended for Healthcare Professionals

Pandemic preparedness: principles and ethics

Victoria Tzortziou Brown OBE, RCGP Joint Honorary Secretary and GP in Tower Hamlets, Queen Mary University London and RCGP
Other Contributors:
- Simon Gregory, Deputy Medical Director, GP and Chair of Ethics Committee, Health Education England and RCGP, Health Education England and RCGP

27 July 2020

The lessons learned from the primary care response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the five principles that Michael Kidd outlines provide a useful framework for the continuing response to the pandemic and for inevitable future pandemics.

These principles are consistent with the RCGP`s ethical guidance for primary care during COVID-19, https://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/mod/page/view.php?id=10557, which aims to support colleagues in responding to the uncertainty, competing demands and considerable pressures of the pandemic. The guidance was written by a team of GPs, ethicists, and patients and took the format of frequently asked questions (FAQs), sourced from frontline clinicians, practice teams and patient representatives. These were supported with explanatory videos (VLOGS). The ethical framework was based on the government's ethical principles for pandemic flu and was cognisant of other guidance to avoid duplication and contradiction.¹

Topics covered the principles outlined by Michael Kidd including treatment decisions on COVID and non-COVID related conditions, personal and professional tensions whilst working during the pandemic, end-of-life care provision, personal professional equipment and health inequalities (h ttps://elearning.rcgp.org.uk/mod/page/view.php?id=10692). The latter is particularly important considering the ‘protection of vulnerable people’, the first Australian principle. It is clear that some sections of society have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 and by the knock-on effects on regular healthcare and preventative services. Such differential impact needs to be understood better and addressed.

General practice has a key role in preventing and managing a pandemic and ensuring that the health and wellbeing of our populations is maintained. As nations individually and collectively seek to learn lessons, it is important that work such as the Australian five principles and the RCGP's ethical considerations are reflected upon and incorporated in any future primary care guidance to ensure clarity, consistency and fairness.

Reference
1. GOV.UK Pandemic flu www.gov.uk/guidance/pandemic-flu. 2013.

Competing Interests: None declared.

Main menu

User menu

Search

Pandemic preparedness: principles and ethics

NAVIGATE

RCGP

MY ACCOUNT

NEWS AND UPDATES

AUTHORS & REVIEWERS

CUSTOMER SERVICES

CONTRIBUTE

CONTACT US