Medicolegal Essentials in Healthcare

An overview of those legal issues most relevant to individuals working in the healthcare professions.

Jason Payne-James (Edited by), Ian Wall (Edited by), Peter Dean (Edited by)

9780521744072, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 26 November 2009

284 pages
23.4 x 15.6 x 1.5 cm, 0.4 kg

A basic knowledge of the legal framework in which healthcare is, and the role that law and the judiciary play in the working lives of all professionals has become an intrinsic part in the training of students of medicine, nursing, pharmacy and the allied professions. This is partly due to the increasing frequency and controversy of items of medicolegal significance in the media, and partly due to the wide and freely available range of specialist medical information available to the public against which to judge medical treatment. This book looks at those areas where law and medicine commonly meet. The chapters are written by a multidisciplinary group of practitioners with special interest or experience in their subjects. A vast number of subjects are covered; from controversial issues such as euthanasia to issues such as confidentiality, all of which will be interest to students of medicine and healthcare providers alike.

Contributors
Editors' notes
Foreword
Table of statutes
Table of cases
1. Legal institutions and the legal process Ian Wall and Jason Payne-James
2. Human rights and healthcare professionals Michael Peel
3. Medical ethics and the forensic physician Michael Wilks
4. Confidentiality Peter Schütte
5. Consent to medical treatment Ian Wall
7. Complaints in the National Health Service George Fernie
8. The Mental Health Act (England and Wales) Alain Gregoire
9. Death certification and the role of the coroner Peter Dean
10. Tissues and organs Sharon Korek
11. Organ donation Sue Sutherland
12. Living wills Sharon Korek
13. Euthanasia and end-of-life decsion-making Hazel Biggs
14. Abortion and reproductive health Adrian Lower
15. The Children Act 1989 Allan Levy
16. Clinical Negligence Ian Wall
17. Legislation for medicines and product liability Robin Harman
18. Clinical trials: ethical, legal and practical considerations Christobel Saunders
19. Medicolegal implications of blood-borne viruses Felicity Nicholson
20. Healthcare professionals in court - professional and expert witnesses Stephen Robinson
Index.

Subject Areas: Medicolegal issues [MBQ]