Clinical Practice and the Law: A Legal Primer for Clinicians

In a professional context where, more than ever before, the daily work of clinicians is subjected to intense scrutiny, this essential guide to medicine and the law addresses the fundamentals of how the law, lawyers and the legal system affect clinical practice.

Medicine and the law are intricately linked through statutes, regulations and the common law. Yet, very few clinicians have more than a fuzzy understanding of the law and understand even less about how lawyers will approach medical matters when it is alleged that treatment has fallen short of what is reasonably to be expected of treating clinicians.

The text explores:-

• the common law principles that provide the context for clinical practice
• the importance of high-quality medical communication skills
• the need for explanatory and clear medical notes and records
• the differences between evidence of fact and expert evidence
• essential legal knowledge in key-areas of clinical practice, including: Clinicians who integrate the basic legal principles explored in the text into their practice will not only develop a more robust approach to clinical practice, but are also likely to become better clinicians in the process.