Legal Aspects of Medical Practice

Entry requirements

Months of entry

September

Course content

In recent years, the law relating to medicine and healthcare has become increasingly complex. This has significant consequences for medical practices and questions of legal liability and compensation. This programme aims to provide a sound knowledge of the legal rules applicable to the practice and administration of healthcare.

Our LLM Legal Aspects of Medical Practice, established in 1987, aims to provide a sound knowledge of the legal rules applicable to, and the issues surrounding, the practice and administration of healthcare, as well as the ethical principles underpinning these rules.

The law relating to medicine and healthcare has become increasingly complex and patients are becoming more aware of their legal rights and the ethical principles which underline these rights. This has significant consequences for healthcare practices, the regulation of healthcare, and the relationships between patients and members of healthcare teams. This includes complex areas like patient information and consent, legal and professional regulation of healthcare professionals, clinical negligence, and beginning and end-of-life issues. Changes in the structure of the NHS are also giving rise to a number of important legal problems. Furthermore, an increased understanding of ethics and how this relates to both the practice and regulation of healthcare provide a ready source of criticism for existing and proposed legal rules.

This programme is taught via a series of in-person teaching blocks, each of which is delivered across a weekend (apart from the first block which includes a Friday). This enables you to fit study into your current working arrangements while still allowing the creation of a learning community.

You will have the opportunity to study topics in-depth and conduct research in areas of medical law and ethics of particular interest to you. The programme:

• Covers a wide spectrum of healthcare law and ethics topics;
• Stimulates a critical approach to evaluation of current and proposed regulation and cultivates independent and original thought;
• Enables you to undertake in-depth research and demonstrate advanced knowledge in specific areas of law.

Fees and funding

If you’re a home-fee paying student, you can apply for a £3,000 Master’s Scholarship from Cardiff University to help cover the cost of this programme.