Nuffield to lead review into disputes involving critically ill children

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Let us make sure that we get this right Lord Kamall “Sometimes they feel that the medical profession acts like God. The Nuffield Council on Bioethics said its findings will cover the causes of disagreements between healthcare professionals and parents or carers; the ethical issues these raise; recommendations for national or regional level interventions to help avoid such disagreements or resolve them more quickly in future; and the identification of any gaps in current evidence. Health and Social Care Secretary, Steve Barclay, said: “I recognise the extraordinary burden on parents and medical professionals when making decisions on what medical treatment is in the best interest of a critically ill child. “I am committed to making sure the views of families, carers and clinicians are at the centre of this review designed to make the decision-making process clearer during the most difficult of times.” Danielle Hamm, director of the Nuffield Council on Bioethics, said she hoped the review will “lead to better support for families and healthcare professionals facing these very distressing situations to work through disagreements sensitively and collaboratively, and to resolve matters as quickly and fairly as possible so that all involved feel like their voices have been heard”.