« Competency 5

• Competency 5 – Relationships with patients: Legal and ethical issues
• Competency 5 – Relationships with patients:Recognise the potential for conflicts of interest
• Competency 5 – Relationships with patients:Understand how occupational health is organised
• Competency 5 – Relationships with patients: Identify potential areas of conflict between interested parties
• Competency 5 – Relationships with patients:Recognise the potential pitfalls of inappropriate occupational health practice

Competency 5 – Relationships with patients: Legal and ethical issues

Objective: to have the knowledge, skills and attitudes to cope with ethical and legal issues in the management of patients with occupational problems

AREA OF COMPETENCE:

LEGAL & ETHICAL ISSUES

The Hippocratic Oath and following this The Declaration of Geneva (1974) stressed the principle of ‘primum non nocere’ (above all do no harm) and a doctor’s responsibility to the individual. However, today’s medicine has moved beyond these boundaries to consider not only the health of the individual, but to consider the quality of health and wellbeing of both the individual and the population.

In occupational medicine, it is important to be aware of legal and ethical issues relating to the health and safety of individuals and working populations.