Commitment to health: a shared ethical bond between professions.

Area of Science:

• Bioethics
• Philosophy of Health
• Professional Ethics

Background:

• Codes of Ethics are often assumed to be based on concrete principles and guarantee ethical behavior.
• Widespread agreement on ethical standards and the existence of absolute moral standards are also commonly assumed.
• These assumptions are challenged, highlighting the interpretative nature of ethical codes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically examine the assumptions underlying Codes of Ethics in health and social care.
• To propose an alternative framework for ethical commitment and decision-making.
• To introduce and explain the foundations theory of health as a basis for shared ethical understanding.

Main Methods:

• Philosophical analysis of ethical principles and Codes of Ethics.
• Critique of the assumptions regarding ethical certainty and adherence.
• Explanation and illustration of the foundations theory of health.

Main Results:

• The study finds that assumptions about Codes of Ethics are false: they are open to interpretation and do not guarantee ethical behavior.
• Absolute moral standards are difficult to demonstrate.
• The foundations theory of health provides a practical and shared ethical commitment.

Conclusions:

• Health and social care professionals should not rely on unexplained ethical principles.
• An ethical commitment requires recognizing the ethical content of all actions.
• The foundations theory of health can unite professionals by focusing on achieving foundational health for patients and clients.