This paper provides a series of reflections on making the case to senior leaders for the introduction of clinical ethics support services within a UK hospital Trust at a time when clinical ethics committees are dwindling in the UK. The paper provides key considerations for those building a (business) case for clinical ethics support within hospitals by drawing upon published academic literature, and key reports from governmental and professional bodies. We also include extracts from documents relating to, and annual reports of, existing clinical ethics support within UK hospitals, as well as extracts from our own proposal submitted to the Trust Board. We aim for this paper to support other ethicists and/or health care staff contemplating introducing clinical ethics support into hospitals, to facilitate the process of making the case for clinical ethics support, and to contribute to the key debates in the literature around clinical ethics support. We conclude that there is a real need for investment in clinical ethics in the UK in order to build the evidence base required to support the wider introduction of clinical ethics support into UK hospitals. Furthermore, our perceptions of the purpose of, and perceived needs met through, clinical ethics support needs to shift to one of hospitals investing in their staff. Finally, we raise concerns over the optional nature of clinical ethics support available to practitioners within UK hospitals.

本文就在英国临床伦理委员会逐渐减少的情况下，向高层领导提出在英国医院信托中引入临床伦理支持服务的案例提供了一系列思考。本文通过借鉴已发表的学术文献以及政府和专业机构的重要报告，为那些在医院内建立临床伦理支持（商业）案例的人提供了关键考虑因素。我们还包括与英国医院现有临床伦理支持相关的文件和年度报告的摘录，以及我们自己提交给信托委员会的提案的摘录。我们的目标是支持其他伦理学家和/或卫生保健人员考虑将临床伦理支持引入医院，促进临床伦理支持的论证过程，并为围绕临床伦理支持的文献中的关键辩论做出贡献。我们的结论是，英国确实需要对临床伦理进行投资，以建立支持将临床伦理支持更广泛地引入英国医院所需的证据基础。此外，我们对临床伦理支持的目的和感知需求的看法需要转移到投资于员工的医院之一。最后，我们对英国医院内从业者可获得的临床伦理支持的可选性质表示担忧。我们的结论是，英国确实需要对临床伦理进行投资，以建立支持将临床伦理支持更广泛地引入英国医院所需的证据基础。此外，我们对临床伦理支持的目的和感知需求的看法需要转移到投资于员工的医院之一。最后，我们对英国医院内从业者可获得的临床伦理支持的可选性质表示担忧。我们的结论是，英国确实需要对临床伦理进行投资，以建立支持将临床伦理支持更广泛地引入英国医院所需的证据基础。此外，我们对临床伦理支持的目的和感知需求的看法需要转移到投资于员工的医院之一。最后，我们对英国医院内从业者可获得的临床伦理支持的可选性质表示担忧。