AlphaMED Resources · https://alphamedicine.uk/Resources/glossary/duty-of-care
Duty of care
A duty of care is the legal obligation to take reasonable care not to harm someone.
Summary
- A doctor owes it to every patient they take on.
- The standard expected is that of a reasonably competent doctor in the same field.
- A breach that causes harm is clinical negligence, and the patient can claim compensation.
- Off duty, a doctor has no general legal duty to help a stranger in an emergency, but the regulator expects them to offer help.
Interview questions
- What is a duty of care?
- You are a doctor on a flight and the crew ask for medical help. Do you have to respond?
- When does a mistake become negligence?
Practise answering these with a mentor
Our interview preparation has you answer questions like these out loud, with feedback on each answer.
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More NHS hot topics, medical ethics case studies and medical school interview questions are in AlphaMED Resources, which we add to and update through the application cycle.