Healthcare advisory
31 July 2010

Health and Social Care Legal Training Programme

Why is there a need for legal training ?

NHS staff have wide ranging and increasingly complex responsibilities in regard to how patients and staff are treated.

Patients, carers and society are becoming more assertive in the pursuit of accountability or compensation.

Legislation relating to the rights of staff and patients is rapidly changing and breaches increasingly expose NHS organisations, managers and individual members of staff to either civil or criminal action through the courts.

What can Weightmans do to help?

Weightmans has expertise in all areas of health and social care law, through their specialist health and social care team and extensive commercial practice. Weightmans has a proven track record in delivering training to NHS, local authority clients and those in the third sector as well as the independent sector.

NHS Training

Weightmans provide training on all aspects of Healthcare law to numerous NHS bodies. The following topics are suggested but can be tailored and adapted to meet your specific needs:                                   

▪         consent to treatment

▪         rights of patients under the Mental Health Acts

▪         the Mental Capacity Act 2005, specifically regarding the rights of patients
           to make their own decisions about care

▪         withholding of treatment

▪         privacy and confidentiality of healthcare treatment

▪         responsibilities under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974

▪         incident reporting, investigation and preparation for appearances at the
           Coroners’ (or other) Courts

▪         avoidance of litigation for NHS bodies

▪         legal issues arising from the healthcare of children

▪         legal aspects of Infection Control policies

▪         assuring the legal robustness of clinical governance and risk
           management processes

▪         requirements of Human Rights legislation for both staff and patients

▪         employment rights for staff.

Health and Social Care training

Weightmans, with its dedicated, specialist team, provides training in all aspects of health and social care law. Among the subjects we cover are the statutory and other provisions governing:

▪         consent – including the common law and the High Court

▪         the treatment and care of hospital patients – including delayed
           discharges

▪         the care and treatment of incapable people – including the Mental
          Capacity Act

▪         deprivation of liberty – including the Bournewood case and the
           Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards

▪         the treatment of children – including the Children Act 1989 and
           wardship proceedings

▪         the care and treatment of people with mental disorder –  including the
           Mental Health Acts of 1983 & 2007

▪         child care proceedings – including secure accommodation

▪         after-care – including commissioning responsibilities

▪         NHS continuing care

▪         community care

▪         vulnerable adults – including the No Secrets guidance, the National
           Assistance Act and the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act

▪         abuse and sex offenders – including the Sexual Offences Act

▪         inquests – including the new reforms

▪         judicial review

▪         confidentiality, data protection and freedom of information – including
           tribunal proceedings

▪         disclosure and public interest immunity

▪         the prevention of violence and harassment within the NHS

How will the training be provided?

We have designed all our training sessions to slot into your own ‘on site’ training programmes. Upon discussion with you, the sessions and topics suggested can be specially tailored to suit any audience (consultants, managers etc..) and the content can be adapted to your specifications.

For further information on how to book a training session or for more information on costs and tailoring a training package to suit your individual needs, please contact David Ferris, Business Development Manager on 0151 242 6926.