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Last broadcast on Thu, 16 Jul 2009, 21:00 on BBC Radio 4 (see all broadcasts).
Synopsis
Joan Bakewell is joined by a panel of experts to discuss the real life case of Chris, who has kidney cancer and urgently needs an operation to remove the kidney. Without surgery, the cancer could spread and will almost certainly kill him. He has a wife and a young family.
But as the operation approaches Chris cancels. He is terrified of going under anaesthetic. His surgeon offers him another date, and then another, but each time Chris cancels.
Five months down the line, the surgeon is extremely worried that Chris' cancer could have spread. But he is under pressure; each time Chris misses an operation, half a day of operating time - a fully staffed operating theatre session - is wasted.
What is the surgeon's duty of care to a patient who is refusing a potentially life saving operation? What is a reasonable degree of persuasion for the surgeon to use?
What about Chris' rights - given he has a severe phobia, does he have the capacity to refuse a potentially life saving operation? And what about his responsibilities - is it fair to keep diverting resources away from other patients in this way?
Joan Bakewell is joined by her panel of experts to discuss the complex ethical issues arising from this case.
The Panel
Deborah Bowman, Senior Lecturer in Medical Ethics and Law at St George's Hospital University of London
Professor Paul Salkovskis, Clinical Psychologist and a leading specialist in phobia at Kings College Institute Of Psychiatry
Dr Steven Reid, Consultant Psychiatrist at St Mary's Hospital London
Vassilios Papalois, Transplant and General Surgeon at the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Explore more cases of ethics in real life with The Open University
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Joan Bakewell will be reading your comments, and will post a summary in due course.
Programme transcript
Broadcasts
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Thu 16 Jul 200909:00
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Thu 16 Jul 200921:00
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