Practical Ethics for General Practice

General practitioners have obligations to patients in their care, the government for responsible use of resources, and to communities for the standard of health services provided. Ethics is at the heart of health services, dealing with fundamental questions about what ought to be valued, and why. The two disciplines inevitably impact upon each other, and this book brings them together to focus on practical ethics for general practitioners.The focus is on practice throughout, ensuring through real cases and discussions with practitioners that the book is not abstract and esoteric in its discussion of philosophical principles, but that it is applicable in the real world of the doctor's surgery. Themes covered include the authors research-based account of trust and the doctor-patient relationship, acting in the patient's best interests, confidentiality, making decisions with patients, beginning and end of life issues, treating children and adolescents, and role conflicts in general practice.