Main description:

The Fourth Edition of this bestselling, highly regarded book has been fully revised to incorporate changes in law and clinical guidance making a vital impact on patient management, encompassing: . The Equality Act 2010 which provides the right of older people to treatment without discrimination . Case law on withdrawing nutrition and hydration . Updated guidance on resuscitation from the Resuscitation Council (UK), the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Nursing . The redefining of good medical practice by the General Medical Council . The abolition of the Liverpool Care Pathway with updated guidance on end-of-life care and advance care planning. Expanded throughout, this new edition also integrates two entirely new chapters covering testamentary capacity and the role of the physician, and religious beliefs and end-of-life issues. Its practical, reflective and informative approach continues to make it essential reading for all health professionals, particularly trainees, involved in making difficult decisions in the care of older persons. It is also highly recommended for undergraduate medical students.
' This book combines a primer for the novice with advanced reasoning for the expert, both readerships being led through a range of very authentic case studies. The novice can look up the basic elements of current law, or acquire some rules of thumb about assessment of capacity or quality of life. The expert can think about clinical scenarios where there are no right answers, and all is contingent, or work out how the loss of the privilege of driving might be reframed to maximise mobility. Every practitioner should have this book, and it should be well-thumbed.' From the Foreword by Professor Steve Iliffe

Contents:

Foreword to the fourth edition v Forewords to the third edition vii Preface to the fourth edition x Preface to the third edition xi Preface to the second edition xii About the editor xiii List of contributors xiv 1 Principles of medical ethics 1 Kamilla K Porter and Gurcharan S Rai 2 Confidentiality 9 Catherine Harvey and Gurcharan S Rai 3 Informed consent 21 Martin J Vernon 4 Decisions on life- sustaining therapy: nutrition and fl uid 37 Martin J Vernon 5 Communication 59 Premila Fade, David Oliver, Philippa Gee 6 Cardiopulmonary resuscitation 75 Gurcharan S Rai 7 Mental capacity and best interests 85 Steven Luttrell 8 Testamentary capacity and the role of the physician 93 Gurcharan S Rai and Aza Abdulla 9 Advance decisions/advance decisions to refuse treatment 99 Gurcharan S Rai 10 Ethical issues in stroke management 107 Jonathan Birns and Gurcharan S Rai 11 Ethics of driving assessment in dementia: care, competence and communication 119 Desmond O'Neill and David Robinson 12 Achieving a good death 129 Jim Eccles and Gurcharan S Rai 13 Religious beliefs of patients and end- of- life decisions 143 Aza Abdulla and Gurcharan S Rai 14 Ethical issues in dementia 155 Gurcharan S Rai and Jim Eccles 15 The lawful use of restraints 169 Gwen M Sayers and Gurcharan S Rai 16 Quality of life in healthcare decisions 177 Ann Bowling 17 Ethical issues and expenditure on health and social care 187 Steven Luttrell Index 197