Current projectWork programme

Disagreements in the care of critically ill children

Examining disagreements that can arise between families and healthcare teams about the care of critically ill children.

In December 2022, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care commissioned us to undertake an independent review of disagreements that arise in the care of critically ill children in England.

The Nuffield Council on Bioethics’ work in this area stems back to 2006, with an influential report on critical care decisions in neonatal medicine. In 2018-19, we explored the factors that might be contributing to how disagreements of this kind develop, and how they are being resolved, which we published in a briefing note.

The independent review published in 2023 built on our existing work and drew on published evidence and the perspectives of people with lived and professional experience of disagreements. It contains 16 recommendations across a number of areas, to a range of groups and organisations. These findings will inform national and regional learning and improvement and support the creation of good, collaborative relationships between parents and healthcare staff.

Thank you to all those who have contributed to and helped inform this work.