Law Intensive 1

Aim

The aim of this course is to give health care practitioners better understanding of the legal complexities that underpin clinical decisions and equip them with the basic knowledge of health law necessary to make sound clinical and management decisions consistent with good medical practice.

The Law Intensive 1 serves as a supplement and pre-requisite to the Law Intensive 2 (formerly Advanced Law Intensive).

Learning Outcomes

 - Identify the legal framework that underpins the health care system in Australia.
 - Differentiate between the consent required for treatment (trespass) and informed consent (negligence).
 - Explain the legal medicine issues surrounding assisted reproductive technology and the doctrine of double effect in clinical practice.
 - Apply the principles of confidentiality and privacy to your clinical practice and record keeping system.
 - Recognise the legal issues and differences of voluntary assisted dying legislation in the Australian states.
 - Demonstrate an understanding of coronial law and how it is applied to investigate reportable deaths.

About the Course

The Law Intensive 1 begins with an introduction to the legal framework that supports the health system. Consent to medical treatment, clinical negligence, confidentiality and privacy are then discussed. The program also examine the issues in clinical practice that relate to the beginning and end of life. Specifically, the topics discussed are artificial reproductive technology (ART), the doctrine of double effect and voluntary assisted dying legislation. The day concludes with an overview of coronial law and how it is applied to investigate reportable deaths.

Each presentation is followed by small group discussion of clinical case studies that relate to the subject material. The small groups each then report back the whole group, identifying the legal issues that were involved in the clinical situation presented.