What are some of the ethical principles and values for resource allocation in healthcare?
- Maximising overall benefit (utilitariansim) –> underlies QALY approach
- Responding to need
- Rule of resuce –> focus on identifiable individuals in immediate danger
- Respect for autonomy/ respect for persons
- facilitate choice within prescribed options
- public involvement in decision making process
- Fairness (equity)
- allocating resources in proportion to need while acknowledging the differing needs of everyone
What is proportional equality?
Equals should be treated equally and unequals unqually in proportion to the morally relevant difference
(i.e one group needs a particular service more than another, provision of service to this group should be greater).
What is health inequality?
Health inequality describes the difference in health experience and health outcomes between different population groups –> according to socioeconomic status, geographical area, age, disability, gender and ethnic group.
What is health inequity?
Health inequity described the differences in opportunity for different population groups which result in unequal life chances, access to health services, nutritious food, adequate housing etc. These can lead to health inequalities.
How may we reduce health inequality in healthcare?
Reducing health inequality may require unequal distribution of health care resources.
Via proportionate universalism:
The resourcing and delivering of universal services at a scale and intensity proportionate to the degree of need.
-aims to improve the health of the whole population, across the social gradient, while simultaneously improving the health of the most disadvantaged fastest.
