The Phronesis Foundation was set up by Co-directors Dr Merv Conroy and Associate Professor Cathy Hale with support from Dr Aisha Malik, Dr Chris Turner and Dr Richard Bosworth who are Associates. All five have experience of ethics and decision making through their roles in the NHS, the care sector and universities. Their work included education and support of healthcare leaders and professionals at all career stages.

All five have heard professionals expressing their struggles in making ethical decisions that they felt were good and wise. This is what inspired them to set up a research project called Phronesis and the Medical Community. They frequently experienced healthcare professionals at all levels becoming disillusioned with practices that did not allow them to follow a desire and motivation to care for others. For example, decisions resulting in people coming back into hospital or social care many times and conversely people returning home without the right support being available for them. Tragically, they also knew of people dying through inappropriate care or suicide rather than ethical decision making that could have saved lives and prevented devastating impacts on family and community.

The research aimed to improve decision making so that these and many other ethical issues did not become a continuous series of déjà vus for these professionals and the communities they serve. In the four-five years of research and evaluation a pathway and a set of supporting resources to improve ethical decision making have been produced. Therefore, all five founders of 'The Phronesis Foundation' felt that the timing was right to support professionals and organisations that are keen to use the resources to improve their ethical decision making. The formation of the ‘The Phronesis Foundation’ is for anyone with an interest in making a difference to the way they make ethical decisions for individuals and their communities.