A patient has been assessed to be at risk of choking and aspirating, but they (or their surrogate decision-maker) has expressed a strong wish to continue oral feeding? What should the clinical team do?
There is a medical risk - of aspirating, but what is the ethical, and legal risk if oral feeding proceeds?
Must clinical teams always follow the patient's wishes? (What if they are administering the feeds?) Can individuals or teams or institutions refuse to support risk feeding?
In this clinical ethics symposium, specialists in gastroenterology, palliative care, clinical ethics and medical law discuss these and related questions.
Sponsored by The Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics and UK Clinical Ethics Network
Programme
| 1.30-2:00 |
Registration |
|
| 2:00-2:05 |
Introduction |
Prof Dominic Wilkinson, University of Oxford |
| 2.05-2:15 |
Case presentation - Risky feeding in High spinal cord injury |
Tiina Kauhanen - Senior Sister, Adult intensive care, John Radcliffe Hospital,
Charlie Howland, Speech and Language team, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust |
| 2:15-2:35 |
Professional guidance and risk feeding |
Dr Andrew Rochford, Consultant Gastroenterologist, Royal Free Hospital |
| 2:35-2:50 |
Risk feeding at the end of life |
Dr Victoria Bradley, Palliative Care, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust |
| 2:50-3:00 |
Is risk feeding legally risky? |
Alex Ruck Keene KC (Hon) |
| 3:00-3:20 |
Tolerating risk (As low as reasonably practicable: A moral model) |
Dr Helen Turnham, Consultant in Paediatric Critical Care, Oxford |
| 3:20-3:45 |
Panel discussion |
|
| 3.45 |
Tea/coffee |
|
| 4:00 |
Live clinical ethics case consultation: Risk feeding in the context of paediatric neuro-disability |
Clinical ethics committee: (chair Prof Dominic Wilkinson)
Dr Rakesh Tailor, Royal Berkshire Hospital
|
| 5:00 |
Refreshments: Wine/soft drinks/cheese |
|
*There are strictly limited places at this symposium.
It is an in person event, though online attendance will be possible for clinicians working at institutions associated with the UKCEN - for details please contact your clinical ethics committee.
There are also a limited number of free places for students - to access one of these please email.
Registration fees
£10 for doctors
£5 nurses/ AHP/Students (Please email and provide details of your work role if you would like one of the discounted places)
Register and pay
Click here to register and pay (transfers to the University of Oxford online shop).
Venue and directions
OxHEC, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headley Way, Headington, Oxford, OX3 9DU
Directions to Oxford Hospitals Education Centre (OxHEC): Enter the main JR Hospital via the Level 2 main entrance and continue up the main corridor until you reach the League of Friends Café. From there take the stairs down to Level 1. Follow signs to Oxford Critical Care. Entry is via the Level 1 ICU corridor or Trauma Outpatients corridor at the JR. Please press the button marked OxHEC for access to Level 5.
