Please note: there may be some adjustments to the teaching arrangements published in the course catalogue for 2020-21. Given current circumstances related to the Covid-19 pandemic it is anticipated that some usual arrangements for teaching on campus will be modified to ensure the safety and wellbeing of students and staff on campus; further adjustments may also be necessary, or beneficial, during the course of the academic year as national requirements relating to management of the pandemic are revised.

Principles of Healthcare Law LAW3011

  • Academic Session: 2022-23
  • School: School of Law
  • Credits: 30
  • Level: Level 3 (SCQF level 9)
  • Typically Offered: Runs Throughout Semesters 1 and 2
  • Available to Visiting Students: Yes
  • Available to Erasmus Students: Yes

Short Description

This course covers fundamental principles of Healthcare Law including negligence, consent, and confidentiality. Additional topics of contemporary interest will be covered, and topics that are covered may vary from year to year.

Timetable

Weekly teaching sessions - 15 x 2 hour seminars

Requirements of Entry

Entry to LLB Honours or permitted visiting students

Excluded Courses

None

Co-requisites

None

Assessment

Assessment

A 3000 word essay, worth 30% of the final mark; and a two hour unseen exam requiring students to answer two questions, worth 70% of the final mark.

 

Reassessment

In accordance with the University's Code of Assessment reassessments are normally set for all courses which do not contribute to the honours classifications. For non honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students, and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions are listed below in this box.

Main Assessment In: April/May

Are reassessment opportunities available for all summative assessments? No

Reassessments are normally available for all courses, except those which contribute to the Honours classification. For non Honours courses, students are offered reassessment in all or any of the components of assessment if the satisfactory (threshold) grade for the overall course is not achieved at the first attempt. This is normally grade D3 for undergraduate students and grade C3 for postgraduate students. Exceptionally it may not be possible to offer reassessment of some coursework items, in which case the mark achieved at the first attempt will be counted towards the final course grade. Any such exceptions for this course are described below. 

Course Aims

The principal aim of this course is to promote familiarity and understanding of the law as it relates to the relationship between healthcare providers and healthcare recipients. This will be achieved by addressing a number of aspects of the healthcare professional/patient relationship and by considering the legal responses to conflict in that relationship.

 

Further aims are to develop the analytical and critical skills of students by detailed examination of the relevant legislation and cases governing this area; develop students' ability constructively to criticise current law and practice and to suggest and evaluate possible reforms; foster critical understanding and evaluation of areas of controversy within this area of law; and give students some knowledge of the practical problems encountered when reliance is placed on the law to resolve conflict in this area. Topics may vary from year to year, but core topics will include clinical negligence; consent to treatment, including consideration of issues arising in relation to consent, and also the treatment of persons who lack the capacity to consent; and patient confidentiality. Additional topics of contemporary interest and relevance will be considered.

Intended Learning Outcomes of Course

By the end of this course students should be able to:

 

- identify the current law in both the UK and other jurisdictions, where relevant, as it relates to the subject 

  matter of this course

- evaluate and criticise constructively the current law in this area

- propose, evaluate, and constructively criticise possible reforms of the law

-understand and critically evaluate areas of controversy within the subject matter

Minimum Requirement for Award of Credits

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.