Specific Issues
There are too many specific issues to discuss them all however we feel that some of the more recent and important ones warrant further investigation and highlighting in order to help us get a better understanding of our responsibility as a medical professional.
Here are some issues below that we feel should be given lots of consideration even if you are not faced with them in your medical capacity you never know when they might arise.
Right of a competent patient to refuse treatment
Mrs A is 42 and is in need of cancer treatment following the detection of breast cancer. She has spoken to a specialist consultant and is refusing to have treatment or surgery because she is too frightened. Mrs A has been fully counseled on the cancer treatment.
We feel she is able to make competent decision on her treatment and have told her that if she refuses treatment she could die much sooner than with treatment. The consultant believes that she should have treatment but she still refuses.
Right of patient to confidentiality
Mr B is 29 and has HIV and his partner is pregnant. Mr B refuses to tell his partner about his HIV and his doctor is faced the decision of informing his partner anyway so that she can have tests done on her and baby to see if they are carriers. The doctors feels that if he was to inform Mr B partner without his consent then he could lose all faith in the medical profession and stop getting treatment for his HIV.