Postgraduate Course: Medico-Legal Issues in Clinical Negligence and Regulation (LAWS11562)
Course Outline
| School | School of Law |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
| Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | This course interrogates medico-legal issues which arise in the delivery of healthcare, with a focus on clinical negligence law and the regulation of healthcare professionals. |
| Course description |
This course provides an in-depth examination of key medico-legal issues for patients, public and healthcare professionals which arise in the context of the delivery of healthcare.
In order to provide students with a strong foundation from which to expand their knowledge, Weeks 1 to 5 will commence by considering the changing regulatory landscape and how high-profile failures in care have shaped modern healthcare. The focus will then shift to what happens when a healthcare professional's fitness to practise is called into question, considering cases which engage issues such as clinical failures, dishonesty and sexual misconduct.
Weeks 6 to 10 will then provide students with key knowledge and problem-solving skills in relation to the law applicable to clinical negligence. Matters to be covered will include persistent issues such as: the elements needed to establish a claim in clinical negligence, evidentiary and practice-based issues in clinical negligence claims (such as retaining medico-legal experts and time limitations for bringing claims), available defences to a claim and the payment of compensation. As the course progresses contemporary issues will be considered such as the use of AI in clinical decision-making and potential liability for harm.
The course will be delivered online. Students will be expected to complete essential reading (as provided on a resource list on Learn) in advance, and come to the session ready to share their views.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | Students should have regular and reliable access to the Internet. |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2026/27, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Semester 2 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 40,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
156 )
|
| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
The summative assessment will be a problem scenario (4000 words) which is due at the end of the course, which comprises 100% of the overall mark for the course.
Requirements for all course assessments will be outlined to students within the individual courses at the start of each semester. |
| Feedback |
There will be a formative assessment comprising a problem scenario (1000-word answer max). This will follow a similar format to the final summative assessment, in order that markers can comment on key skills such as the development of well justified analysis, argumentation and clear conclusions. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Demonstrate a sound grasp of core and specialist areas of health professional regulation and clinical negligence;
- Develop and apply critical thinking informed by legal and ethical analysis of core and specialist areas of these topics;
- Undertake independent critical analysis and problem solving through ethical and legal discourse, and the application of that analysis in discussion format;
- Utilise written and oral skills necessary to deliver the above;
- Employ autonomy, empathy, critical self-reflection; academic integrity.
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Reading List
| Mason McCall Smith, Law and Medical Ethics (12th edn) (OUP 2023) is the core textbook for this course. Students will be directed to key resources for essential and recommended readings in the weekly handouts and on e-resource lists on Learn. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
1. Critical self-reflection
2. Creative problem-solving
3. Skilled communication
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| Additional Class Delivery Information |
This course is taught entirely by online learning. |
| Keywords | Clinical negligence,healthcare professional regulation,medico-legal; healthcare |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Annie Sorbie
Tel: (0131 6)50 3633
Email: Annie.Sorbie@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Clare Polson
Tel: (0131 6)51 9704
Email: Clare.Polson@ed.ac.uk |
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