Ethics

At the very heart of Catholic health and aged care is a distinctively person-centred vision based on belief in the essential dignity of each human person. Catholic services seek above all to foster a healing environment that promotes a culture of life. In striving to act in the best interest of patients, residents and families Catholic services are called on to making reasoned choices about often complex matters that require careful attention to the needs and circumstances of those being cared for. Catholic health and aged care is supported in this endeavor by a range of resources.


Catholic Health Australia's Code of Ethical Standards sets out the basic principles of care in the Catholic tradition and applies across all Catholic health, aged and community care services. Click here to access the Code of Ethical Standards, which can be downloaded for free.


The CHA Bioethics Forum was established in 2009 to enable national liaison and closer networking between Catholic Bioethics Centres and the Bioethics Committees of Catholic Hospitals and Aged Care services.


Further resources can be found by following links to the local Catholic Bioethics centres.


L.J. Goody Bioethics Centre
Plunkett Centre for Ethics
Queensland Bioethics Centre
Adelaide Centre for Bioethics and Culture

End of Life Care

CHA’s document that outlines our commitment to end of life care was prepared and released in February 2019 following the passage of Victoria’s Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill. It remains an important document that restates the Catholic health and aged care sector’s core principles.

Enduring Commitment to End of Life Care

Ethics Matters

Ethics Matters, will be commissioned and published regularly by Catholic Health Australia. Publication will be overseen by an editorial committee.

COVID-19 Vaccine Rationing and Mass Immunisation — Challenges and Solutions
Dr. Xavier Symons
Contributions from the Catholic Ethical Tradition in Time of Pandemic