VS Flashcards
What is quantity of life?
Crude measure of the length of a person’s life.
What is the ‘compression of morbidity’ principle?
The objective of increasing life-span should be associated at the same time with an increasing quality of life or reduction of disability.
Summarise the legal position on assisted suicide in the UK.
It is a criminal offence to aid or abet (encourage) a person in acting to end their own life. This would be culpable homicide. Any patient who has capacity is entitled to refuse or withdraw from life saving treatment.
Define active euthanasia.
Another person deliberately and specifically doing something to end someone’s life.
Define passive euthanasia. Give an example of this.
Not doing something to keep an individual alive i.e. withdrawing life support.
Define voluntary euthanasia. In what case is this legal?
At the specific request of the patient. Only legal when it is passive.
Define non-voluntary euthanasia.
When the patient lacks the ability to express what they would wish regarding the prolongation of their life and requires a legal proxy to speak on their behalf according to the patient’s known views and best interests.
Describe the notion of double effect.
If a single act has two inevitable consequences, one of which is good, another of which is bad, the act may be ethically acceptable in some circumstances. i.e. necessary analgesia for a dying patient may involve accelerating death.
Name the four main ethical principles in medicine with a brief description of their meaning.
Beneficence - doing good to the patient.
Non-maleficence - doing no harm.
Autonomy - self-determination.
Justice - fairness.
What is parental status?
In traditional families, procreative parents immediately and permanently have have ‘parental status’, unless it is reassigned to someone else by a court.
In what circumstance would a father of a child have parental status but not parental rights and responsibilities?
If the father was not married to the mother and whose name is not on the child’s birth certificate.
For a child or young person who is still a minor, who can provide consent for a child’s medical treatment?
Only those with parental responsibilities and rights.
What would happen if parents do not provide consent for treatment?
Court authority is required for the exceptional situations where parents are considered not to be acting in the best interests and welfare of the child.
From what age can young people in Scotland consent to their own medical treatment?
16.
Can a child or young person under the age of 16 ever consent to or refuse their own treatment?
Yes, if the qualified medical practitioner believes that they have capacity.
In what circumstances can a doctor give contraceptive advice or treatment to girls under the age of 16?
- If the girl will understand his/her advice.
- If she cannot be persuaded her to inform her parents or allow the doctor to inform her parents that she is seeking contraceptive advice.
- If she is likely to begin or continue having sexual intercourse with or without contraceptive treatment.
- That her mental or physical health are likely to suffer without contraceptive advice or treatment.
- That her best interests require the doctor to give contraceptive advice or treatment without parental consent.
What are the three component parts of respect for autonomy?
Confidentiality
Consent
Capacity
What is required for a person to have capacity?
The ability to: Act - give consent Make reasoned decisions Understand decisions Remember decisions Communicate decisions
For consent to be valid and legal is must be…
With capacity Informed Voluntary Non-coerced Non-manipulated
What happens when there is conflict of views between parents and doctors over a child’s health care?
Decision referred to a court under the children (Scotland) Act 1995. Either parents or the hospital may apply to the court for a decision.
When does parental responsibility end?
When teenagers reach age 16 in Scotland and 18 in England and Wales, or marry at 16/17.
Children can have capacity for specific decisions when they are under the age of legal capacity. What tests are used in Scotland and England and Wales to assess capacity in children?
Section 2(4) test from the Age of Legal Capacity (Scotland) Act 1991 Gilick test - England and Wales
