Rocks and hard places: a clinical ethics panel in a prison health context

Australia has seen the emergence of Clinical Ethics Support Services (CESS) across health care settings over recent decades, with the exception of prison health services which can present inherent complex ethical challenges. The purpose of this paper is a descriptive report of the implementation of a CESS in a prison health service.

A literature review was done to inform the implementation of a CESS by a prison health service. Different CESS delivery models were considered and expert advice obtained from an external clinical bioethicist. A Clinical Ethics Advisory Panel (CEAP) was established and accepted referrals between October 2022 and October 2024. A preliminary review of referrals was conducted to consider whether the CEAP was achieving its objectives.

The CEAP was implemented with a membership that comprised clinical and nonclinical representatives. The CEAP received seven referrals over 24 months from staff of the organization. Six out of seven (86%) referrals involved a clinical operational issue. One referral (14%) involved an individual clinical scenario in addition to a clinical operational issue. All referrals were initiated by senior medical management.

The CEAP has had a beneficial role in supporting staff with responsibility for ethical decision making in a prison health service. CESS can potentially provide an important source of support for frontline clinical staff and clinical management but requires further evaluation.

The implementation of a CESS in a prison health context is rarely described in the literature.