LLM/PgDip/PgCert

Health Care Law

3 good reasons to study Health Care Law at Salford:

Analyse contemporary legal and ethical issues relating to Health Care Law
You can complete this course from anywhere in the world to suit your commitments
You will be assigned your own personal tutor and dedicated postgraduate administrator for the duration of your study.

This distance learning course deals with legal, management and ethical issues and provides you with a broader understanding of the ‘law in context’. It will equip you with a deeper understanding of the difficult and complex questions that will inevitably be raised during your study of this polemic area of law.

Course details

This distance learning postgraduate course addresses important legal and ethical issues of concern to any society including rights to health care and the duty to provide health care services; the regulation of health care institutions and professionals; liabilities of health care practitioners and authorities; treatment of vulnerable patients; mental health issues and rights of privacy.

Political control of the health care professions is extending rapidly and the new reforms in the health care sector are likely to alter the legal environment within which the health care professions work. At the same time health care practitioners find themselves in an increasingly costly and litigious environment. Many lawyers specialise in clinical negligence and consequently are much concerned with the relationship between the health care professions and patients.

Course Structure

The course runs over two academic years in total. You study two core modules in year 1 and one core module in year 2. In semester 2 you choose one of the options listed before moving onto the dissertation module, which is studied in semester 3.

The course utulises e-based learning as the sole delivery mechanism. You will use Blackboard and online legal research tutorials which are provided. There will be online lectures and seminars and all material is stored as a podcast. You will have the opportunity to participate in case studies, discussions and tutorials.

Year 1

Two core modules:

Regulation and Compliance in a Globalised World (30 credits)
Regulation of Health Care (30 credits)

These modules set the legal, regulatory and ethical context of this developing area of law. Regulation and compliance in a globalised world considers the regulatory frameworks at international, regional and national levels. The regulation of health care includes the regulation of health care institutions. The module outlines the importance of the Human Rights Act 1998. The impact of Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights, on the rights of a patient to obtain his/her medical records or prevent the disclosure of his/her medical history will be considered with other issues relating to medical records and the law of confidentiality.

Year 2

One core module:

Liabilities of Health Care Practitioners and Authorities (30 credits)

The UK is now perceived to be a more litigious society and liability issues have become more crucial to health care practitioners, the authorities and their insurers. This module examines the basis of liability in clinical negligence with special attention given to the complex issues surrounding the standard of care, causation and consent.

One module from the list below:

Treatment of Vulnerable Groups (30 credits)

This module focuses on areas of law that make provision for care of vulnerable groups, including detained patients as defined by the Mental Health Act 1983, elderly people and children. In this regard the module covers the duties and responsibilities of the local social services authorities and the rights of patients, the elderly and children.

Law, Society and Ethics (30 credits)

This module covers several important health care issues, which can only be considered in the light of societal developments, ethical and moral perceptions and the law. Issues covered include human reproduction, organ donation and transplantation, end of life issues, and medical research.

Year 2, Semester 3

Dissertation (60 credits)

Up to 15,000 words on a topic within the subject of Health Care Law.

Course Enquiries

For course enquiries please call us on:

T: +44 (0) 161 295 4545

Or Email us at:

Home/EU students
E: enquiries@salford.ac.uk

International students
E: international@salford.ac.uk