Monash University Handbook 2011 Postgraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Synopsis

Review of legal management principles related to health care by examining common law principles and statutes. Examination of the Australian legal system, including the Coroner's court, with an emphasis on Victorian and Commonwealth cases and statutes. Focus on key areas of medical and health law such as negligence consent, privacy of health information, clinical research, abortion, euthanasia, mental health, infectious diseases, health complaints and law for health facilities such as hospitals.

Objectives

At the end of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Demonstrate an understanding of the sources of law and of the legal systems of Victoria and the Commonwealth;
2. Describe the breadth of law impacting upon the delivery of health services;
3. Demonstrate an understanding of some key areas of medical law, such as negligence, informed consent, confidentiality, clinical research, abortion, euthanasia, health service law, mental health law, infectious diseases law, health complaints law and coronial law;
4. Demonstrate an understanding of other areas of law and legal policy as they apply to the health care system including trade practices, contract law, professional registration and malpractice, drugs and poisons law and therapeutic goods law;
5. Examine the current means of resolving consumer dissatisfaction and debate the merits of alternative methods;
6. Describe current risk management processes and their implementation;
7. Demonstrate basic skills in legal argument; and
8. Demonstrate basic skills in working in a team for the advancement of a legal argument.

Assessment

Web-based tasks (50%)
Written assignments (50%)

Chief examiner(s)

Mrs Elizabeth Kennedy

Contact hours

15 contact hours over 2 block days

Additional information on this unit is available from the faculty at:

http://www.med.monash.edu.au/epidemiology/pgrad