Classic cases revisited – Tony Nicklinson and the question of dignity

Dignity is a concept we often evoke in healthcare when caring for patients and attending to their basic needs. It is a very human concept, unique perhaps. Yet, though instinctively we think we know what it means, we rarely pause to reflect on it. What does it mean? It is a concept that is hard to define and not easy to apply and yet a concept important for humanity. This article explores the roots and the uses of the term with particular reference to human rights, patient choices at the end of life and to vulnerability.