Carers of people with dementia need more support to help them make difficult decisions about care and treatment, recommends a UK report published this week, which sets out a framework to help protect patients’ autonomy.

An expert working party appointed by the Nuffield Council on Bioethics consulted a wide range of people, including those with experience of living with dementia and people working in the field, to develop practical ways to help with the ethical issues that often arise in care of people with dementia. These issues include deciding when and how to communicate the diagnosis; balancing a person’s safety with their need for independence and freedom; and deciding what is in the best …