About us

What is CAPHE-ACESS?

CAPHE-ACESS is a voluntary professional association (incorporated federally as a not-for-profit) whose members have an interest in pursuing or contributing to the professionalization of practicing healthcare ethicists* in Canada. 

How did we begin?

In January 2009, a grassroots group of healthcare ethicists who were practicing in Canada who were concerned about the lack of standardization in the field and had an interest in exploring professionalization gathered in Kingston, Ontario to form Practicing Healthcare Ethicists Exploring Professionalization (PHEEP).

Initial work led to a pre-conference with the CBS Working Conditions for Bioethics Taskforce (2009), a nation-wide survey of ethicists within Canada to solicit feedback/input on possible projects and future directions for PHEEP (2010), and a CIHR-supported symposium in Saint John, New Brunswick (2011).

PHEEP expanded over the years to include a governing Steering Group and four working groups: Conceptual, Empirical, Practice Standards, and Values.

A 2012 special issue of HEC Forum (Volume 24, Issue 3),  Getting Engaged: Exploring Professionalization in Canada highlights several aspects of PHEEP’s work, as well as providing different perspectives on important issues related to the discussion of professionalization.

​At the PHEEP annual meeting in 2013, there was a unanimous agreement to establish a voluntary professional association. Incorporation as CAPHE-ACESS followed.

What is our purpose?

The purpose of CAPHE-ACESS is to promote excellence in healthcare ethics practice.

How do we operate?

All members are welcome to join the ‘Product Development Groups’. These groups are creating the resources identified in our strategic plan that will be made available for Members and for the public as a way of making the work of those in the field more standardized and to facilitate accountability.

A deliberative engagement methodology is used for the development of these professionalization-related products, such as practice standards and values statements. The deliberative engagement methodology was first published in the 2012 special issue of HEC Forum and has since been modified based on experience by the members of CAPHE-ACESS at its 2019 Annual General Meeting. The methodology outlines a series of stages for developing these products that involve drafting them and garnering feedback from a range of interested parties and stakeholders. Eventually, any final draft product is presented to Members for approval.

What are we doing?

The CAPHE-ACESS Board of Directors and members of the Product Development Groups are currently working together on the following:

• Creating a values statement/code of ethics

• Developing practice standards for the field

How do you join?

All CAPHE-ACESS members are expected to have an interest in pursuing or contributing to the professionalization of Canadian practicing healthcare ethicists. There are two types of members: full members and associate members. Click here for membership info