Healthcare Management
Abstract
Doctors are familiar with the professional regulation of their practice and behaviour through the General Medical Council and for their liabilities under civil law in the event that a patient comes to harm. The public outcry in response to a series of reports into healthcare failings and wrongdoing has led to legislation that criminalizes certain acts and omissions. Increased resort to judicial review has also produced a series of key judgments that have more sharply defined the duties and liabilities of those commissioning and providing healthcare. Medical managers need to be aware of the increased range of professional expectations of them as individuals and the statutory duties of healthcare commissioners and providers. This chapter will discuss issues in relation to this, such as rationing, corporate manslaughter, due diligence, duty of candour, intellectual property, exploiting commercial interests, and trainee liability.