bits of law…
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Bits of law…. Alex, Poppy, rajni , Jake. Types of law…. 3 sources of law?. Common-law ‘judge-made law’ Statute- law ‘parliament-made ’ law European law esp . European Convention on Human Rights. Advantages Slow changes Fits with other law - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Bits of law…ALEX, POPPY, RAJNI, JAKE
Types of law…
3 sources of law?
Common-law ‘judge-made law’
Statute- law ‘parliament-made’ law
European law esp. European Convention on Human Rights
Common law
AdvantagesSlow changesFits with other lawSensitive issues
considered outside political arena
DisadvantagesPiece-meal - cases
must arise - no “grand scheme”
ConservativeRetrospectiveNo community
consultationUncertain – standard
like “reasonable”
Advantages Paramount - overrides
common law Clear and conclusive Prospective Carefully planned -
systematic Public – participatory Reflects community
attitudes
Disadvantages InflexibleDifficult to changeHard for rapid
change areas like biotechnology
Statute law
Advantages Embeds ethical
principles Avoids conflict
between domestic and international law
Enforcement of individual human rights
Better policy outcomes
DisadvantagesToo much power
to judgesOnly imposed
against government and public authorities
Subject to Parliamentary sovereignty
European law
Capacity and Consent…
Do they have capacity?Mental Capacity Act (2005)
Understanding of information
Retention of information
Ability to use/weigh information as part of the decision-making process
Ability to communicate their decision
Is their consent valid?Consent
For consent to be valid “it must be given voluntarily by an appropriately informed person (the patient or where relevant someone with parental responsibility for a patient under 18) who has the capacity to consent to the intervention in question”
Capacity Information Decision-making Voluntariness
Who can consent?
For an adult with capacity? Only the adult themselves
For minors? 16-17 year olds
Capacity assumed from age 16
Gillick-competent under 16 year olds
A Person/Local authority with Parental Responsibility
A Court
Children Act (1989)Case-law RulingsHTTPS://WWW.YOUTUBE.COM/WATCH?V=QH2SWSVRRMO
The welfare of the child should be the paramount concern.
Someone with parental responsibility can consent to/refuse treatment when the child is not deemed competent. Only one parent (or the court) needs to consent.
A competent child’s refusal of treatment can be overruled by the parent/guardian/court.
The Children Act (1989) (all you need to know)
When the clinician assesses an under 16 child’s competency, they can justify
This is generally referred to as Gillick competency and was established by a specific legal case.
Originally this term applied only to contraception, but is now used for child competency in general.
Gillick Competency
The same case that established Gillick competency also established the Fraser guidelines.
The are mainly applied when a doctor gives an under-16 contraception, but also tend to be applied to competency in general.
A doctor could proceed to give advice and treatment provided he is satisfied in the following criteria…
Fraser Guidelines
Fraser Guidelines
1. That the girl (although under 16 years of age) will understand his advice;
2. That he cannot persuade her to inform her parents or to allow him to inform the parents that she is seeking contraceptive advice;
3. That she is very likely to begin or to continue having sexual intercourse with or without contraceptive treatment;
4. That unless she receives contraceptive advice or treatment her physical or mental health or both are likely to suffer;
5. That her best interests require him to give the contraceptive advice, treatment or both without the parental consent.”
Human Fertilisation & Embryology Act 1990 (2008)
Criteria: Condition of the affected child should be severe or life threatening to justify
Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis Embryos conceived should be themselves at risk from condition of existing
child All other possibilities of treatment and sources of tissue should have been
done Intention should be to take only cord blood for purposes of treatment, and
not other tissues or organs Embryos should not be genetically modified to provide a tissue match
Case Study on Saviour Siblings – Zain HashmiThree year old boy suffering from beta-thalassemia. Death without bone marrow transplant.
a) Condition of the affected child should be severe or life threatening to justify PGD
Both parents were beta-thalassemia carriers.
a) Embryos conceived should be themselves at risk from condition of existing child
Regular blood transfusions a) All other possibilities of treatment and sources of tissue should have been done
Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to select embryo free of disease AND conduct tissue typing to identify perfect blood match so that umbilical cord blood can be used to save Zain’s life
a) Intention should be to take only cord blood for purposes of treatment, and not other tissues or organs
- a) Embryos should not be genetically modified to provide a tissue match
Justified!
Questions…
What 4 things are required for capacity to be present?
1. Understanding of information
2. Retention of information
3. Ability to use/weigh information as part of the decision-making process
4. Ability to communicate their decision
What 4 things are required for valid consent?
1. Capacity
2. Information
3. Decision-making
4. Voluntariness
A 14 year old girl comes to you, asking to go on the pill. What 5 things should you be confident of before giving her contraceptive treatment?
1. She will understand your advice2. You cannot persuade her to inform her parents or to allow you to inform the
parents3. She is very likely to have sexual intercourse with or without contraceptive
treatment4. Unless she receives contraceptive advice or treatment her physical or mental
health are likely to suffer5. It is in her best interests that you give contraceptive treatment without her
parent’s knowledge