Medical Ethics and Duty of care Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Medical Ethics and Duty of care - Essay Example Persons who owe a duty of care to others must exercise â€Å"reasonable care in the circumstances†. In making an assessment about the circumstances, there are two standards that may be applied from the perspective of doctors (a) an objective standard that is based upon independent standards expected by doctors in general and (b) a subjective element, that is dependent on the individual case, such as for example in an emergency where a doctor may be faced with a personal without the personal capacity to express consent and will be forced to take a decision based upon the circumstances of the particular case. For example, in assessing whether there has been a breach of duty of care, if there is a likelihood that harm will occur, the doctor will be expected to take more precautions.1 Similarly, if the seriousness of the injuries are greater, the defendant doctor will be expected to take greater precautions.2 The Bolam test3 also imputes a higher level of professional liability and standard of care that is expected from a person such as a doctor who professes himself to the best in his field of expertise.