Medical Law

CHAPTER CONTENTS

Last updated 1 February 2023

Consent to Medical Treatment
Medical Negligence
Confidentiality and Privacy of Medical Records
Health Product Regulation and Safety

There are a wide range of laws that apply to various aspects of medical treatment. This chapter will provide a broad overview of these laws and their application in certain scenarios. It will start by exploring the consent to medical treatment that a patient provides to a medical practitioner (including who is capable of providing consent and making decisions) and what happens when that consent is not obtained. It will then consider what happens when medical treatment, whether consented to or not, may be negligent and gives rise to a claim for damages. The rules and regulations around the release of a patient’s personal information by a medical practitioner will also be discussed. Finally, the chapter will provide a broad overview to health product regulation and safety.

Whilst this chapter will explain the broad concepts that apply to medical law, it is a complex area and expert legal advice is strongly recommended.