ABSTRACT

This concise book provides readers with practical guidance to help them to both avoid errors and develop robust processes to protect themselves and their patients, as well as dealing appropriately with complaints and litigation, when things do go wrong. Free of complex legal terminology, the book outlines key concepts in medical law and how these may be applied to clinical situations in both hospital and community settings.

Key Features

  • Accessible text addressing these specific areas of concern for all health care students and practitioners – error and harm, complaints, negligence claims and litigation
  • Supported throughout with case examples, accompanied by commentaries from experienced clinical specialists
  • Both medical and legal perspectives are reflected in the experienced editor team

Incorporating case law with practical studies, legal information is supplemented by clinical commentaries from a range of specialists representing the perspective of the health care practitioner. The book is essential reading for medical and health students, practising clinicians and allied health care professionals at all levels.

chapter 1|2 pages

Introduction

part Section 1|24 pages

The law overview

chapter 3|8 pages

Consent

chapter 4|5 pages

Criminally negligent manslaughter

part Section 2|22 pages

Regulatory bodies

chapter 6|6 pages

The General Medical Council

chapter 8|4 pages

The Care Quality Commission

chapter 9|6 pages

The coroner

part Section 3|20 pages

Special circumstances

chapter 10|10 pages

The junior doctor

chapter 12|4 pages

Locums

part Section 4|26 pages

Dealing with complaints

chapter 14|2 pages

Independent sector complaints processes

chapter 15|3 pages

Duty of candour

chapter 16|7 pages

Responding to the complaint

chapter 17|7 pages

Documentation/Record keeping

part Section 5|22 pages

Dealing with litigation

part Section 6|24 pages

Court

chapter 23|4 pages

Giving evidence in court

chapter 24|4 pages

What the court and judge are looking for

chapter 25|4 pages

Handling cross-examination

chapter 26|5 pages

The role of the expert

chapter 27|5 pages

Who will the court believe?

part Section 7|34 pages

Negligence and clinical errors

chapter 28|9 pages

Allegations of negligence

chapter 29|6 pages

Never events

chapter 30|5 pages

Poor attitude

chapter 31|6 pages

Poor communication

chapter 32|6 pages

System errors

part Section 8|20 pages

Speciality-specific litigation

chapter 33|18 pages

Specialities

part Section 9|32 pages

Learning and avoiding errors

chapter 34|7 pages

How we learn

chapter 35|4 pages

Why errors happen

chapter 36|6 pages

Errors and cognitive bias

chapter 37|8 pages

Improving diagnosis

chapter 38|5 pages

Protecting yourself from litigation