Clinical law: what do paediatricians want to know?

• Published in: Archives of disease in childhood Vol. 108; no. 6; pp. 423 - 426
• Main Authors: Wheeler, Robert, Stedman, Francesca, Hall, Nigel J
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health 01.06.2023; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Attitude of Health Personnel; Cannabis; Children; Children & youth; Clinical law for clinical practice; Consent; Data Collection; Defamation; Demography; Disclosure; Ethics; Families & family life; Gender Discrimination; General anesthesia; Genotype & phenotype; Hospitals; Human rights; Humans; Informed consent; Legal Aid; Medical ethics; Medical referrals; Medical Services; Medical treatment; Mental disorders; Mental health; Paediatrics; Parent Responsibility; Parents & parenting; Pediatricians; Pediatrics; Phenotypes; Physicians; Pregnancy; Records (Forms); United Kingdom > UK; Ethics; Data Collection; Paediatrics
• ISSN: 0003-9888; 1468-2044
• DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2022-325081

Fifty-nine further phenotypes inapplicable to children were identified in the adult population. Since first publishing the data, we have encountered 16 more phenotypes, 3 that are applicable to children, including ‘interfering with inpatients’ mail’. Other statutory Discrimination (2) Freedom of information (1) Gender recognition (2) Banned cannabis treatment (1) Relationship to legal authorities (14) European Convention Human Rights considerations (specific) (2) Prohibition of female genital mutilation (1) Sexual offences (2) Children’s Medical Treatment Bill (1) Nationality and Borders Bill (1) Human Tissue Act 2004 (4) Comparison with the enquiries made relating to adult services was instructive. [...]an overseas enquirer sought advice as to whether separation of conjoined twins that would likely cause the death of at least one of the children was lawful in England. The fact that clinicians are making these enquiries hints at an awareness that their clinical dilemma is of legal significance but needs to be better articulated as a legal question. Since these fields of law are readily accessible, it would be straightforward to set out guidance for paediatricians.