Editors' introduction to 3rd thematic issue on philosophy of medicine.

The ageing population is increasing worldwide with an increase in chronic disorders. At the same time, person‐centred care has become a policy within both health and social care. To facilitate coordination and collaboration and integrate the older adult's perspective in the decision‐making process the collaborative care planning process with the development of a written care plan can be used. In this study, the result of an interpreted analysis of four empirical studies of the collaborative care planning as a person‐centred practice (...) will be discussed and reflected on. A framework based on the French philosopher Paul Ricoeur's little ethics was used in the synthesis of the studies. The findings revealed two common threads: personhood and power asymmetry. Both challenges in achieving a person‐centred collaborative care planning. Ricoeur's dialogical thinking and description of a person served as an underpinning in discussing and reflecting upon the findings of the interpreted synthesis. Collaborative care planning is a complex process. However, Ricoeur's philosophy contributed to a greater understanding of the collaborative care planning as a person‐centred practice and accentuated that ethics, human values, and the older adults and care partners perspectives need to be given the same importance and considerations as the medical and social sciences perspectives for the collaborative care planning process to truly become person‐centred. (shrink)

On 27 September 2013, the Centre for the Humanities and Health (CHH) at King's College London hosted a 1-day workshop on ‘Medical knowledge, Medical Duties’. This workshop was the fifth in a series of five workshops whose aim is to provide a new model for high-quality, open interdisciplinary engagement between medical professionals and philosophers. This report identifies the key points of discussion raised throughout the day and the methodology employed.

On the 13th June 2014, the Centre for the Humanities and Health (CHH) at King’s College London hosted a one-day workshop on ‘Parentalism and Trust.’ This workshop was the sixth in a series of workshops whose aim is to provide a new model for high-quality open interdisciplinary engagement between medical professionals and philosophers. The term ‘Parentalism’ rather than paternalism is chosen and used throughout because of some of the derisory and unfortunate gender connotations associated with paternalism (and/or its counterpart ‘maternalism’). (...) Medical Parentalism is the position that unwanted interference with a patient’s choices and actions in order to protect and promote her best interests is morally justified. Whilst there are many problems with its justification and implementation, the workshop addressed how such interference depends on a trusting relationship between the doctor and patient, and the extent to which parentalist interferences might undermine this trust. (shrink)