Health ethics in the age of autonomy: public engagement with the social challenges of health policy. (360G-Wellcome-082213_Z_07_Z)

The proposed research will argue that public policy in the field of health (broadly understood) must develop greater capacities to respond to social dilemmas that cannot be successfully addressed by deferring to autonomy (choice). Although other work is underway to address similar issues in public health - particularly the tensions between individual and public interests - the proposed research will aim to supplement this by performing a number of key tasks. The research will conduct detailed analysis of ethical principles and cultures that are related to the autonomy paradigm that can obstruct efforts to address social issues. In this respect it will investigate how recasting the nature and importance given to the principles of autonomy and choice in health care could be beneficial. The project will examine current efforts to engage the public and professionals in dialogue on health policy and utilise insights from political philosophy to help implement this work more rigorously within the public sector by developing an account of public reason. The research will go beyond current work in the field by formulating a framework that is able to help ethically regulate this dialogue between the public, professionals and policy makers.