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Medical Litigation (LAWS70225)
Graduate coursework level 7Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
May
Lecturer
Email: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 6190
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
Overview
Availability(Quotas apply) | May |
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Fees | Look up fees |
2012 marked the 20th anniversary of the landmark Australian medical law decision Rogers v Whitaker. However, medical litigation remains an exceptionally vibrant and challenging field, underpinned by the rapid pace of scientific and social developments that generate new issues for the law and its ethical framework. Many of the more challenging issues are at the core of policy – birth, reproduction and death. The legal issues are fundamental – covering the existence of duties, what should be considered negligent, the challenges of legal causation and the appropriate compensation regime – all against a background of insurance affordability, the ongoing health and safety, reporting and disclosure agenda and the Australian Disability Insurance Scheme. This subject examines the framework of medical law, current challenges and issues on the horizon.
Lecturer Bill Madden is a lawyer specialising in medical litigation, the co-author of two health law texts and a regular writer and presenter on medical law topics.
Principal topics include:
- History and incidence of medical litigation
- The impact of recent legal and court-based reforms including mediation
- The medical indemnity marketplace and proposed changes
- Taking instructions from clients, access to records and interlocutory stages in litigation
- Duty, breach of duty and statutory defences/special protections
- Consent, informed consent and treatment errors—the legal differences
- Causation and loss of chance
- The importance and changing framework of expert evidence
- Privacy and confidentiality issues
- National regulation, conduct and crime
- Mandatory reporting impacts
- Coroners’ investigations and hearings.
Intended learning outcomes
A student who has successfully completed this subject will:
- Understand the procedure of litigation in relation to medical injuries from the time an injury first occurs to the hearing in court
- Have examined from the perspective of both patient and health professional the investigation and clarification of issues, the gathering and admissibility of evidence, the instructions to be given to solicitors and counsel and the preparation for hearing
- Have thought through the role of regulatory inquiries and disciplinary proceedings against health practitioners
- Have analysed the role of coroners’ investigations and inquests in making health practitioners accountable
- Have had regard to the role of the criminal law in health practitioners’ accountability.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
Melbourne Law Masters Students: None
JD Students: Successful completion of all the below subjects:
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
LAWS50023 | Legal Method and Reasoning | Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS50024 | Principles of Public Law | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS50028 | Constitutional Law | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS50032 | Administrative Law | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS50026 | Obligations | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
LAWS50029 | Contracts | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Applicants without legal qualifications should note that subjects are offered in the discipline of law at an advanced graduate level. While every effort will be made to meet the needs of students trained in other fields, concessions will not be made in the general level of instruction or assessment. Most subjects assume the knowledge usually acquired in a degree in law (LLB, JD or equivalent). Applicants should note that admission to some subjects in the Melbourne Law Masters will be dependent upon the individual applicant’s educational background and professional experience.
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Assessment
Additional details
Research paper (8,000 - 10,000 words) (100%) (1 August) on a topic approved by the subject coordinator
A minimum of 75% attendance is a hurdle requirement.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Quotas apply to this subject
Dates & times
- May
Principal coordinator Bill Madden Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 24-34 hours Total time commitment 150 hours Pre teaching start date 9 April 2018 Pre teaching requirements The pre-teaching period commences four weeks before the subject commencement date. From this time, students are expected to access and review the Reading Guide that will be available from the LMS subject page and the subject materials provided by the subject coordinator, which will be available from Melbourne Law School. Refer to the Reading Guide for confirmation of which resources need to be read and what other preparation is required before the teaching period commences. Teaching period 7 May 2018 to 11 May 2018 Last self-enrol date 31 January 2018 Census date 7 May 2018 Last date to withdraw without fail 22 June 2018 Assessment period ends 1 August 2018 May contact information
Lecturer
Email: law-masters@unimelb.edu.au
Phone: +61 3 8344 6190
Website: law.unimelb.edu.au
Additional delivery details
This subject has a quota of 30 students.
Enrolment is on a first come, first served basis. Waitlists are maintained for subjects that are fully subscribed.
Students should note priority of places in subjects will be given as follows:
- To currently enrolled Graduate Diploma and Masters students with a satisfactory record in their degree
- To other students enrolling on a single subject basis, eg Community Access Program (CAP) students, cross-institutional study and cross-faculty study.
Please refer to the Melbourne Law Masters website for further information about the management of subject quotas and waitlists.
Last updated: 3 November 2022
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Specialist printed materials will be made available free of charge from the Melbourne Law School prior to the pre-teaching period.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Graduate Diploma in Dispute Resolution Course Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies Course Graduate Diploma in Health and Medical Law Course Juris Doctor Course Master of Commercial Law Course Master of Health and Medical Law Course Master of Laws - Links to additional information
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Additional information for this subject
If required, please contact law-admissions@unimelb.edu.au for subject coordinator approval.
Last updated: 3 November 2022