The Australian healthcare sector is regarded by Australians as the most ethical sector, with a score of +67, as recently found in The Ethics Centre’s report: The ethical advantage: the economic and social benefits of ethics to Australia.
As the leading body to implement the Australian Consensus Framework (ACF) for Ethical Collaboration in the Healthcare Sector, the Australian Ethical Health Alliance (AEHA) endorses the report and notes that there has been a pleasing shift in trust towards the healthcare community with the introduction of the ACF.
The ACF was launched in July 2018 and has since served as a means for ethical collaboration and interaction, with the aim to promote public confidence and trust in healthcare sector organisations by demonstrating a shared commitment to integrity and ethics.
AEHA Chair Adrian Cosenza said on the ACF that, “Much has been achieved in a very short time by a large group of committed professionals and participants in the sector.”
The Framework now has over 70 signatories spanning the entire health sector, including industry, government, professional and consumer organisations, and has provided a basis for how the healthcare sector should function during times of crisis and beyond.
Some recent examples of ethical collaboration have included: public and private hospitals cooperating to make beds available for COVID-19 patients; government and industry collaborating to increase the supply of critical medical equipment and medicines needed to diagnose and treat COVID-19 patients; consumer and industry groups supporting each other in identifying and addressing community and healthcare needs; and Federal and State governments cooperating to reduce the national impact of the pandemic.
Mr Cosenza also noted on The Ethical Advantage that, “The report’s recommendations resonate strongly with AEHA ethos, principles and approach.”
The recommendations of the report cover tracking ethical performance over time, elevating the conversation about ethics, teaching ethics in schools, improving workplace culture and revamping the oversight of politics.
AEHA has now commenced research in the measurement of ethics as per the recommendations of The Ethical Advantage.