• Inactive for Year: 2024/25

• Module Leader(s): Dr Ilke Turkmendag
• Lecturer: Dr Semande Ayihongbe, Dr Nigel Cooper

• Owning School: Newcastle Law School
• Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus

Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Aims

This module aims to foster an understanding of medical and legal issues affecting medical practice and an appreciation of the influence of each discipline on the other. It examines the relationship between law and medicine, exploring how these disciplines influence each other in the medico-legal context. As such, there are two streams to the course: a legal and a medical stream.

The legal stream accounts for two thirds of the course and comprises of six topics which are taught by multiple lecturers and broadly focus on the relationship between law, medicine and ethics in medico-legal decision-making and the regulation of this decision making process. It examines the body of laws concerning the rights and responsibilities of medical professionals and their patients in a number of specific areas. It highlights the ethical dilemmas which practitioners, the executive and other policy makers, the legislature and the judiciary face and explores the role of law in resolving these issues. Key topics examined include: the role of ethics in decision-making, resource allocation in the National Health Service and its implications for decision-making, the role of paternalism and individual autonomy in the doctor-patient relationship, the balance between individual and community interests and conflicting ethical principles across specific areas, and the regulation of contentious issues such as information disclosure in the context of the doctor-patient relationship, assisted dying, and reproductive medicine.

The medical stream makes up one third of the course and will be delivered by Dr Nigel Cooper (Forensic Pathologist). This branch will introduce the necessary basic medical knowledge and goes on to consider forensic medicine, extending to interpretation of injuries and explanation of causes of death in both natural and other circumstances. There will also be a workshop in the medical school during which models and specimens will be used to help explain the two most complex areas of the course; namely the effects of injury and head injuries.

Outline Of Syllabus

Legal stream:

Introduction to Medical Law and Ethics
Allocation of Resources in the National Health Service and Legal challenges to rationing of health care resources in the NHS
Consent and Mental Capacity
Reproductive Medicine and the Law
End of Life issues: Assisted Dying and Futility of Treatment (Withdrawal and withholding of life-saving treatment)

Medical Stream:
Skin Injuries – in assaults, accidents and self-infliction.
Injuries to different regions of the body
The Effects of Injury
Cars and Firearms
Sexual Offences/Child Abuse
Heat, Fire and Electricity
Asphyxia – suffocation, strangulation etc.
Drugs and Alcohol – as relevant to criminal law
Suspicious Death – investigation with an emphasis on the limitations of medical science.

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The use of lecturing as the primary mode of teaching is justified by the technical nature of the subject and the broad range of material covered within law, policy, ethics, and other literature. Lectures are important in introducing the subject areas, complex moral theories and legal concepts, provide the essential aspects of the topic including an introduction to the academic debate surrounding the topic in order to give students a focus in their reading, provide the points of reference and initiate a critical perspective for further development by each student during independent study.

The seminars and workshop serve to provide learning opportunities for students to develop the subject specific and cognitive skills, particularly knowledge synthesis and problem solving skills.

Independent/Private study takes the form of directed study based on essential and recommended reading for the lecture topics in preparation for seminars, as well as independent research to develop depth of knowledge and to enhance critical writing skills in preparing for the assessed coursework and examination.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Exams

Other Assessment

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The coursework primarily assesses and enables students to demonstrate and develop research, writing, structuring, critical thinking and analytical skills, ability to communicate the outcome of research in the form of structured and sophisticated arguments, as well as knowledge and understanding of legal and ethical issues surrounding a particular topic. It also assesses the ability of students to synthesise materials from both Law and Ethics literature.

The closed book examination provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate an understanding of the learning outcomes and skills, particularly problem solving and application skills across a broad range of topics within the curriculum.

Reading Lists

• LAW3224's Reading List

Timetable

• Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
• LAW3224's Timetable