WCHN Terms of Reference
Name:
WCHN PATIENT CARE ETHICS COMMITTEE TERMS OF REFERENCE
Tier Number
<Refer to Committee Structure Guideline for an explanation>
Approved by:
Executive Director Corporate
Last reviewed: Decemeber 2013
Next Due: December 2016
PURPOSE
The purpose of this document is to set out the terms of reference, composition and operating
arrangements of the WCHN Patient Care Ethics Committee Terms of Reference.
The role of the Patient Care Ethics Committee is to provide i) an independent opinion to clinicians or
clinical teams about ethical issues pertaining to individual patient care or general matters of ethical
concern, ii) a supportive environment within the institution that encourages the airing and structured
discussion of ethical and professional issues pertaining to patient care and institutional policy, and to
enhance decision making in these areas throughout the WCHN.
DEFINITIONS
Word/Term
Definition
WCHN
PCEC
CGU
Women’s and Children’s Health Network
Patient Care Ethics Committee
Clinical Governance Unit
GOVERNING BODY
The Executive Director, Corporate will be responsible for the endorsement of members to the PCEC.
The PCEC reports bi-annually as required to the WCHN Clinical Executive.
DESIRED OUTCOMES
The WCHN Patient Care Ethics Committee will provide independent advice to staff and
recommendations on matters of ethical concern, including specific cases and more general ethical
issues.
The Committee will
 Provide independent ethics advice on clinical cases and issues.
 Provide at call a forum to assist clinical staff and patients confronting difficult ethical issues
pertaining to patient care.
 Work with the Patient Ethicist to develop a process that assists clinical staff to recognise,
explore, and seek to resolve ethical and professional issues within the WCHN.
 Work with the Patient Ethicist to provide a structured analysis of those institutional policies
which are characterised by significant ethical content.
 Support the Patient Ethicist in fostering educational initiatives in ethics.
STRATEGIC PLAN
Goal 1: Provide quality health care to our patients, clients and communities.
Goal 2: Provide effective systems and processes to support our health services
Goal3: Build and Support our people, culture & capability.
COMPOSITION
Membership
There will be 2 standing appointments to the Committee which will be permanent appointments:
 The Patient Ethicist
 The Clinical Risk Manager or their delegate from the Clinical Governance Unit (CGU)
In order to ensure continuity on the Patient Care Ethics Committee the remaining members listed
below will be provided with term appointments for five years with the right of reappointment for a
further five year term with no more than 50% of the membership changing in any 12 month period.





Chair (who will be one of the WCHN PCEC members)
Deputy Chair: Women’s and Babies division (who will be one of the WCHN PCEC members)
Deputy Chair: Paediatrics division (who will be one of the WCHN PCEC members)
At least 9 WCHN employees or affiliates
One Lay member.
The Chair and Deputy Chairs will form the PCEC Executive.
The lay person member will be non-clinical and have an understanding of ethical and moral dilemmas.
The Patient Care Ethics Committee may invite others with relevant expertise to attend meetings as
required.
In the case of resignations, the appointment committee will call for new nominations and then submit a
list of nominations to the Executive for endorsement.
Chairperson
The Chairperson will be elected by the whole committee and the nomination approved by the
Executive.
The process for election to Chairperson is,
1. The position is declared vacant and the retiring Chair steps aside.
2. The Deputy Chairperson/s will call for nominations at the meeting where the Chair has been
vacated.
3. In the event of one person being nominated either by themselves or another member of the
committee this is accepted and the person is declared Chair following Executive endorsement.
4. In the event of two or more people being nominated and accepting the nomination the committee
will proceed to a vote.
Duties

Convene & Chair meetings of the PCEC

Work with the Deputy Chairs to develop an agenda and discuss
requests/enquiries to the PCEC.

Writes a report to Clinical Executive bi-annually as required.

Provides updates to the Executive Director, Corporate as required
Term of Office
 5 Year term with a capacity to renew for a further 5 years.
Method of Appointment
The Chair will be nominated from the committee members and a vote required if more
than one nomination is put forward.
Deputy Chair
The Deputy Chair persons will be elected by the whole committee and the nominations approved by the
Executive.
Duties
 Work with the Chair to develop an agenda and discuss requests/enquiries to the PCEC.

Act in the Chair role in the absence of the Chair.
Term of Office
 5 Year term with a capacity to renew for a further 5 years.
Method of Appointment
The Deputy Chairs will be nominated from the committee members and a vote required
if more than one nomination is put forward.
OPERATING PROCEDURES
Quorum
A quorum will be a simple majority of members.
In the absence of the PCEC Chair, one of the Deputy Chairs of the PCEC will act as the Chairperson
for the meeting.
There is no provision for proxies should members be unable to attend the meeting.
Meetings
The PCEC will meet at least six times a year.
Urgent case meetings will be held in response to the needs of clinical staff and/or patients.
Minutes of the meeting will be recorded and endorsed by members at the following meeting of the
Committee.
Reports
The Chair of the WCHN PCEC will provide written bi-annual reports to Clinical Executive and will also
take issues of importance to the WCHN Clinical Executive where a decision is required outside this
timeframe.
Evaluation and Review
The terms of reference and membership of the PCEC will be reviewed by the Chair annually and, in
the event of significant change, notified to the Executive.
VERSION CONTROL AND CHANGE HISTORY
Version
Number
Approval Date
Approved by
Amendment