General notes

• The audience is likely to be broad, including clinicians from a wide range of areas and perhaps also non-clinicians. Avoid technical terms where possible and try to use the language you would use when talking to parents.
• The aim is to highlight details which are ethically significant. This may not be the same as the details that are medically significant.
• The social and family factors are ethically significant and it is preferable to integrate these into the case presentation instead of having two separate areas.

Suggested generic format 

Adapt to suit the particular case and information available.

• Brief  social history - patient and family
• Presenting symptoms, initial diagnosis and prognosis
• Treatment/management decisions made (note timing)
  • Treatment goals
  • What options were available
  • Who decided which one to follow and on what basis
  • What information was given to parents/patient
  • Concerns, question, perspectives of parents / patient 
  • Degree of involvement by parents and  patient in the decision
  • Any documentation
• Major changes in the patient's condition since then
  • Any referrals
• Treatment/management decisions relating to those changes
• Current medical situation
  • Prognosis
  • Treatment or management options currently under consideration
• Current views, concerns and issues of the parents/patient and staff.
• What is/are the presenting ethical issue/s at this point
• What steps have been taken so far to resolve this
  • Ethical considerations identified as relevant
  • Any meetings, case conferences, family meetings or other events.