Background and Rationale

The main objectives of the module are to:

•     Develop knowledge and understanding of the main legal features of the regulatory techniques 
used in health care law to ‘police’ the relationship between patients and health services.

•     Develop knowledge and understanding of the main types of arguments used to justify legal 
regulation in the provision of health care and bioethics.

•     Develop the ability to critically evaluate the success of legal interventions in health care 
law and bioethics.

•     Offer  an  opportunity  to  develop  independent  research  skills,  including analysis and 
argumentation (communicated through both oral and written work), drawing on a range of disciplines 
as appropriate.

•     Acquire the ability to critically analyse selected areas of health care law and

bioethics.

Learning Outcomes

After completion of the module, students are expected to be able to:

1.    Understand the interaction between patients and the health care system.

2.    Understand the socio-political emphasis behind the regulation of health

care provision.

3.    Critically appraise the law to promote health and secure healthcare, using appropriately 
selected specific examples to justify your assessment;

4.    Consider the relative merits of legal and other mechanisms for regulating

health care;

5.    Examine the relationship between law, ethics and politics in the context

of health care.

6.    Clarify, inform and defend your views on selected issues in health care

law and ethics.

7.    Examine  and  assess  specific  aspects  of  health  care  law  in  response  to

questions posed orally or in writing.