Medical Ethics and Law

Module title	Medical Ethics and Law
Module code	LAW3170
Academic year	2023/4
Credits	30
Module staff	Dr Timon Hughes-Davies ()

Duration: Term	1	2	3
Duration: Weeks	12	11

Number students taking module (anticipated)	120

Module description

This module will introduce you to some of the key ethical and legal concepts that apply in medical law and consider, in depth, how those concepts are applied in specific areas, such as abortion, assisted dying and mental health. In Term 1, you will be introduced to the ethical principles that underpin the law, including the concepts of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence and justice, and how those principles are applied in a legal context in important areas such as confidentiality and informed consent. In Term 2, you will examine some of the most important areas of medical ethics and law in depth, such as mental health law, the law and ethics of abortion and surrogacy and the law and ethics of assisted dying.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The aim of this module is to provide a sound understanding of applied ethics in the medical context, to understand how the law and ethical principles interact and to consider some of the key areas of medical law in more depth. You will understand how the law has evolved from a paternalistic model in the 20^th Century to a patient-centred model in the modern day. In Term 2, you will consider some of the more contentious areas of medical ethics in a legal context in greater depth, and understand how different ethical approaches are applied to these questions.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

1. Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the legal and ethical principles relevant to medical practice;
2. Understand, critically reflect upon and evaluate the operation of the contemporary field of medical ethics within the legal and social context;
3. Understand specific medical ethical and legal issues in depth;
4. Synthesise and critically assess the content of legal and ethical norms.

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

5. Demonstrate detailed and comprehensive knowledge and understanding of a range of legal and ethical concepts, values and principles and explain the relationships among them, and their limits;
6. Apply legal and ethical knowledge to a problem and to construct an argument supported by relevant principles and authorities.

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

7. Communicate and engage in debate effectively and accurately, using communication methods appropriate to the discipline
8. Identify, retrieve and use efficiently a range of resources (including both legal and medical journals) with minimum guidance;
9. Work independently with minimal supervision and interact effectively within a team and learning group.

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, it is envisaged that the syllabus will cover some or all of the following topics:

Introduction to health care provision
Ethical foundations
Confidentiality
Consent and mental capacity
Beginning of life
End of life
Mental Health and Capacity Law
Abortion and Surrogacy
Assisted Dying

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
53	247	0

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	44	22 x 2 hour lectures
Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	9	6 x 1.5 hour seminars
Guided Independent Study	110	Individual Reading and Lecture Preparation
Guided independent study	36	Workshop Preparation
Guided independent study	21	Formative Assessment preparation
Guided Independent study	80	Summative Assessment Preparation

Formative assessment

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Essay	1,000 words	1-9	Written feedback, supplemented by group feedback and individual oral feedback on request.

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
100	0	0

Details of summative assessment

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Essay 1	50	3,000 words, to be submitted in Term 1.	1-9	Written feedback, supplemented by group feedback and individual oral feedback on request.
Essay 2	50	3,000 words, to be submitted in Term 2.	1-9	Written feedback, supplemented by group feedback and individual oral feedback on request.
	0
	0
	0
	0

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Essay 1	Essay (3,000 words)	1-9	August/September reassessment period
Essay 2	Essay (3,000 words)	1-9	August/September reassessment period

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Basic reading:

Core text:

J Herring, Medical Law and Ethics, (5th edn, OUP 2016)

Casebook:

E Jackson, Medical Law, Text, Cases and Materials, (4th edn, OUP 2016)

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

Online databases, including LexisLibrary and Westlaw.

Key words search

Law, Medical Law, Ethics, Consent, Capacity, Confidentiality, Abortion, Surrogacy, Euthanasia, Assisted Dying, Mental Health, Mental Capacity.

Credit value	30
Module ECTS	15
Module pre-requisites	LAW2015
Module co-requisites	None
NQF level (module)	6
Available as distance learning?	No
Origin date	23/01/2018
Last revision date	26/08/2020