MEDICAL LAW II - 2021/2

Module code: LAW3090

Module Overview

The purpose of Medical Law II is to build on the work undertaken in Medical Law I and continue to consider the ethical issues and the legal consequences of decisions taken by the medical profession in the context of particular issues within medical law. A range of current issues are considered including confidentiality, medical malpractice, clinical research, organ transplantation, the body as property and product liability. All of these topics will be considered with the Human Rights Act 1998 in mind so as to consolidate existing student learning.

Module provider

School of Law

Module Leader

JAMES Timothy (Schl of Law)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 6

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Overall student workload

Independent Learning Hours: 60

Lecture Hours: 11

Tutorial Hours: 6

Guided Learning: 53

Captured Content: 20

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

Medical Law I

Module content


  • Indicative content includes:

  • Medical Confidentiality

  • Medical Malpractice

  • Clinical Research

  • The Body as Property

  • Organ Donation

  • Product Liability


Assessment pattern

Assessment type Unit of assessment Weighting
Coursework 3,000 WORD WRITTEN COURSEWORK 100

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate, in accordance with the learning outcomes, their acquired knowledge, critical awareness of the key principles and policies studied in this Module, their ability to evaluate and also to apply their acquired knowledge and critical awareness to the resolution of hypothetical legal problems. The assessment address all the learning outcomes listed above.

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

3,000 word written coursework which will require the students to answer two questions comprising one essay and one problem.

Formative assessment and feedback

Students will receive oral feedback on their performance during tutorials.  In addition they will undertake a written formative assessment (1500 word coursework), during Semester 2, on which they will receive individual written feedback and group oral feedback. This written formative assessment will be designed to give the students practice in writing an answer to either an essay or problem question which is similar in style to what they can expect in their summative assessment.

 

Module aims

  • To develop an understanding of the way in which particular aspects of medical law operate in the UK and how they compare with other jurisdictions where appropriate
  • To critically assess the resolution of ethical dilemmas in medical law
  • To identify and critically assess the law regulating clinical confidentiality
  • To understand the nature of medical malpractice and its consequences in medical law
  • To critically assess the legal and ethical issues raised by clinical research in medical law
  • To critically evaluate the issues raised by the ownership of the body and human tissues in medical law
  • To explore the legal regulation of product liability relating to drugs and medical devices

Learning outcomes

Attributes Developed
001 Critically evaluate the central principles, concepts and history of the areas of Medical law, ethics and the principles of professional practice studied in this Module, and the relationship between them, with particular emphasis of the tensions which emerge KCT
002 Critically analyse and evaluate the content of the legal areas as studied in this Module and the ethical dilemmas posed in relation to them with a particular ability to analyse the content of the law in areas where there is tension or a lack of clarity in light of the ethical and professional debate (C, K, T) KCT
003 Critically engage with and evaluate the sources of Medical law, including common law, statute, the ECHR, and international law and the relationship between them KCT
004 Critically engage in discussions regarding competing policy concerns and the ethical and professional values which inform and develop the areas of Medical law studied in this Module, and the relationship between them, in order to be able to propose and defend solutions KCPT
005 Critically engage with the scholarly debate on the ethics which underpin the areas of Medical law studied in this Module KCT
006 Critical engage in scholarly debate regarding medical law and ethics (in relation to the areas studied in this Module), critically analysing the major tendencies within legal and ethical scholarship and the relationship between them KCPT
007 Critically engage with and apply knowledge of the primary and secondary legal authorities, ethical models and professional guidance to solve complex problems and answer complex essay questions which seek to resolve tensions in the competing goals and content of Medical law in the areas studied in this Module CPT

Attributes Developed

C - Cognitive/analytical

K - Subject knowledge

T - Transferable skills

P - Professional/Practical skills

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:


  • Introduce topics, with particular emphasis on key areas of the syllabus, in lectures - using appropriate visual aids together with other with supporting materials (e.g. news clips)

  • Facilitate a more detailed study of the syllabus through independent study and by preparation of focussed tutorial questions

  • Enhance student’s understanding and critical awareness by group discussion in tutorial

  • Facilitate student’s revision of key areas of law and exam preparation by the submission of written formative coursework (see below) and by interactive revision lectures towards to the end of Semester 2



The learning and teaching methods include:

Lectures (2 hrs x 11 weeks)

Tutorials (1 hr x 6 weeks)

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: LAW3090

Programmes this module appears in

Programme Semester Classification Qualifying conditions
Law with Criminology LLB (Hons) 2 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module
Law LLB (Hons) 2 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module
Law with International Relations LLB (Hons) 2 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module
Law (Law and Technology Pathway) LLB (Hons) 2 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module
Law (Philosophy, Politics and Law Pathway) LLB (Hons) 2 Optional A weighted aggregate mark of 40% is required to pass the module

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2021/2 academic year.