Inside the Ethics Committee: bringing the ethical dilemmas of modern medicine to BBC Radio 4

Abstract

The BBC Radio 4 series, Inside the Ethics Committee, gives listeners the chance to gain an insight into the relatively unknown world of clinical ethics. It is a discipline that has gained momentum in British hospitals across the country in the last decade in the form of clinical ethics committees. Several years ago, my editor became aware of the activities of these committees and their deliberations about demanding medical cases. As an area of medicine that so few people knew much about, we were keen to try to engage the listener in the intellectual and moral discussions that were arising from these cases. So more than five years ago the BBC Radio 4 series Inside the Ethics Committee was commissioned. The series aims to capture the essence of these deliberations to show listeners how the work of clinical ethics committees helps health professionals to resolve the seemingly insurmountable situations that can arise when caring for patients. The series was presented by Vivienne Parry until 2008, and now by Joan Bakewell. Each programme revolves around a single, real-life medical case. The story of the case is told through the recorded personal accounts of those who were actually involved, such as the patient, relatives and medical staff. Each case focuses on a particular ethical dilemma: for example, we featured the case of an anorexic girl who wanted to stop treatment and start palliative care, and that of a young man who refused life-saving surgery for fear of dying under anaesthetic. The presenter, Joan Bakewell, guided by a panel of experts, navigates a way through the thorny ethical issues. As the story of the case unfolds, the panel discusses the ethical dilemmas that arise, testing the moral foundation of the different courses of action available. An eclectic mix of people with a keen interest in clinical ethics comprise the panel, including health professionals, philosophers, lay members and lawyers. The discussion ends with each panellist disclosing what s/he would have advised had s/he been on the clinical ethics committee discussing the case. And at the end of the programme, the listener discovers what actually happened in the real case. Extensive listener feedback on the website indicates a strong emotional and intellectual engagement with the series, and members of the medical ethics community recommend the series to their students. The sixth series of Inside the Ethics Committee will be broadcast this summer in the prime time slot of 09:00 hours on BBC Radio 4. The series is produced in association with the Open University. It is made by the BBC Radio Science Unit and I have produced programmes for the series since its inception.