Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Editorial
. 2021 Dec;167(6):451-453.
doi: 10.1136/bmjmilitary-2020-001534. Epub 2020 Jul 13.

Confidentiality and psychological treatment of moral injury: the elephant in the room

Victoria Williamson  1 , D Murphy  2 , S A M Stevelink  3 , E Jones  4 , S Wessely  5 , N Greenberg  6
Affiliations
Editorial

Confidentiality and psychological treatment of moral injury: the elephant in the room

Victoria Williamson et al. BMJ Mil Health. 2021 Dec.

Abstract

Morally injurious incidents may present ethical or legal quandaries, yet how military or civilian clinicians should manage such disclosures is poorly understood. Individuals who experience moral injury may be reluctant to seek help due to concerns about the legal ramifications of disclosure. Guidance on breaching patient confidentiality differs by regulatory body but also by profession, geography and context. As moral injury continues to become recognised in clinical practice, in the military and elsewhere, clarity is needed regarding best practice in managing moral injury cases and the dilemmas they present.

Keywords: forensic medicine; law (see medical law); psychiatry.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: NG is the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Lead for Military and Veterans’ Health, a Trustee of Walking With The Wounded, and an independent director at the Forces in Mind Trust; however, he was not directed by these organisations in any way in relation to his contribution to this paper. SW is a Trustee of Combat Stress and Civilian Consultant Advisor to the British Army, both unpaid.

Publication types