Medical Law Postgraduate Certificate
1 Year Part-Time | September Start
Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
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Option for Placement Year
Option for Study Abroad
The current route to qualifying as a doctor requires only a cursory knowledge of the law. The intensive clinical and basic science curriculum mean that the content of both the undergraduate and postgraduate medical syllabus is constantly under stress. There is seldom room for a discrete medico-legal module.
This practice-based distance learning course has been designed to meet the distinct needs of hospital doctors who are required to make medical decisions with legal implications.
Combining a practical approach with an in-depth study of Medical Law you will develop legal knowledge, legal application, and critical analysis skills in addition to the professional and reflective expertise necessary for safe and confident hospital medical practice.
Level of Study
Postgraduate
Mode of Study
1 year Part Time (Distance Learning)
Department
Northumbria Law School
Location
City Campus, Northumbria University
City
Newcastle
Start
September 2025
Fees
Fee Information
Modules
Module Information
Take a look at our Law school and the opportunities available to you.
Northumbria Law School is one of the largest law schools in the UK, with a national and international reputation for excellence in legal education for those interested in studying law. Hear from our academics on why you should study at Northumbria, the facilities we offer as well how we support our students.
Take a look at what Northumbria has to offer and discover what studying with us can do for you.
This course is primarily delivered online to provide flexibility and the ability for you to study at times convenient to you.
Prior to the commencement of the programme, you will have access to an online learning package which will give an overview of the English legal system and acquaint you with the necessary legal study skills. You will then have the opportunity to attend an online surgery to discuss your progress and learning needs before the commencement of the programme and again early after the programme begins.
We believe that opportunities to engage with your tutors and with fellow students are an important part of your learning experience. For each module you will be offered the opportunity to meet your tutors and attend lectures and workshops at the University at an optional study day. All content will be available online should you not be able to attend.
In response to specific requests from hospital doctors, the three modules of ‘Clinical Negligence’, ‘Consent and Confidentiality’ and ‘Medical Law in Context’ are designed to give you an in depth understanding of the legal problems which arise in a hospital setting and arm you with the necessary skills to formulate reasonable solutions. All modules are taught from a practical viewpoint, enabling you to understand and apply the relevant law. Each taught module is assessed by a written assignment. As part of the assessment process, you will be expected to undertake a critical evaluation of the law, and to consider medical law in your own medical practice.
Take a look at what Northumbria has to offer and discover what studying with us can do for you.
The programme is taught by a team of academics and clinicians with extensive experience in medical law, who are actively researching the area.
You will develop your intellectual skills through modules that have been designed with input from the medical profession and shaped by internationally excellent research to ensure the content is up-to-date and relevant. Lecturers have research expertise and practice-based experience in all the areas covered by the programme.
The quality of our law teaching has been recognised through a variety of awards and nominations. These include Law Teacher of the Year Award, the Attorney General’s Pro Bono Award, and Northern Law Awards.
Take a look at what Northumbria has to offer and discover what studying with us can do for you.
You will also have online access to Northumbria’s library, which has half a million electronic books that you can read whenever or wherever you need them. The 24/7 University Library achieves some of the highest levels of student satisfaction in the UK and has held the Cabinet Office accreditation for Customer Service Excellence since 2010.
Our specialist Law Practice Library contains practitioner materials as well as a wide variety of journals and law reports. The range and depth of resources reflects our position as the largest law school in the North East region.
Take a look at what Northumbria has to offer and discover what studying with us can do for you.
Your student journey commences with the pre-attendance online learning package which will help you to gain a clear awareness and understanding of appropriate legal research methods. In your subsequent modules your tutors will expose you to a range of academic literature covering substantive medical law. You will also develop your legal research skills further as your tutors encourage you to discuss, evaluate and critically examine relevant principles and frameworks and as you undertake your own research in order to complete your module assignments.
Take a look at what Northumbria has to offer and discover what studying with us can do for you.
In addition to enhancing your understanding of medical law, the Postgraduate Certificate in Medical Law enables you to apply the skills, knowledge, understanding and research from this course to common problems you are likely to experience in a clinical environment.
The programme offers career development by improving your academic profile and allows you to undertake continuing professional development. The programme is designed to be practical and directly applicable to your medical practice and career goals, focusing upon the skills and knowledge that you require in employment as a doctor.
Take a look at what Northumbria has to offer and discover what studying with us can do for you.
Applicants should normally have:
A minimum of a 2:2 honours degree in medicine, a healthcare related subject or in Law.
Relevant professional qualifications or suitable experience will also be considered.
International qualifications:
If you have studied a non UK qualification, you can see how your qualifications compare to the standard entry criteria, by selecting the country that you received the qualification in, from our country pages. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/yourcountry
English language requirements:
International applicants are required to have a minimum overall IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 with 5.5 in each component (or approved equivalent*).
*The university accepts a large number of UK and International Qualifications in place of IELTS. You can find details of acceptable tests and the required grades you will need in our English Language section. Visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/englishqualifications
Full UK Fee: £3,233
Full International Fee: £3,233
Scholarships and Discounts
ADDITIONAL COSTS
Whilst books are made available via the University Library, students may wish to purchase key texts. One text per module is recommended for purchase throughout this course. There is one study day, held at Northumbria University, associated with each of the three modules on this course that would give rise to travel and accommodation costs. (The study days are not compulsory).
* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here
Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.
LW7144 -
Clinical Negligence (Core,20 Credits)
In this module you will develop a critical understanding of the law relating to clinical negligence in England and Wales as applied to doctors. The module will examine the substantive law applicable in this area and will focus on statute and common law.
This module covers the following topics:
Clinical Negligence - the substantive rules:
An overview of the clinical negligence claim.
Duty of care.
Breach of the duty of care / the standard of care.
Causation.
Damage.
Limitation.
Claims in contract.
Criminal law and gross negligence manslaughter.
The Role of the Coroner.
LW7145 -
Consent and Confidentiality (Core,20 Credits)
In this module you will develop a critical understanding of the laws relating to consent to treatment in England and Wales, medical confidentiality and access to medical records. You will examine the importance of legal capacity/competency in consent law and its effect on the rights of adults and children to give or withhold consent. You will examine the basis of the duty of confidence and the circumstances where disclosure of confidential medical information can be justified. The module will critically consider the complex framework that governs medical confidentiality and examine the common law and statutory requirements alongside relevant professional guidance.
This module covers the following topics:
Treatment of capable adults at common law: introducing the doctrine of informed consent and the common laws of battery and negligence in relation to consent to treatment.
Treatment of Incapable adults under the Mental Capacity Act 2005: examining how and when incapable adults can be treated without consent.
Treatment of Children and Young Persons: exploring the legal framework governing the care and treatment of children and young people and the solutions offered by common law and the primary statutes when legal and ethical issues arise in their treatment and care.
The sources of the duty of confidence.
The circumstances where disclosure of medical information can be justified and the remedies available where the duty is breached.
Disclosure issues relating to children and adults lacking capacity.
Analysis of the impact of the Human Rights Act 1998 in relation to medical confidentiality.
The Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) with a particular focus on issues relating to ‘processing’ medical information and entitlement to access personal data.
LW7146 -
Medical Law in Context (Core,20 Credits)
In this module you will develop a critical understanding of the substantive legal principles set out in the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA), the Mental Health Act 2007, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA), and the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) and common law and related guidance with specific reference to care and treatment for mental disorder and those who lack capacity. You will also examine the importance of legal capacity/competency and its effect on end-of-life treatment. You will evaluate the impact of the law understanding the interaction of relevant legal principles and their practical application with reference to relevant case studies.
This module covers the following topics:
An overview of the overall structure and application of the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA), the Code of Practice to the MHA 1983, The Mental Health Act 2007 (MHA 2007) and subsequent legislation and current Government proposals for reform.
Emergency provisions of the MHA 1983.
Treatment under Part IV MHA 1983 and under Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).
An overview of the key provisions of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA 2005) and the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019 (MCA 2019) and how they fit into the overall framework for care and treatment of those who lack capacity/ are mentally disordered.
An examination of how provision can be made for a future onset of incapacity through Advance Decisions and Lasting Powers of Attorney.
An overview of the law and ethics in relation to end of life treatment and organ donation.
Module information is indicative and is reviewed annually therefore may be subject to change. Applicants will be informed if there are any changes.
LW7144 -
Clinical Negligence (Core,20 Credits)
In this module you will develop a critical understanding of the law relating to clinical negligence in England and Wales as applied to doctors. The module will examine the substantive law applicable in this area and will focus on statute and common law.
This module covers the following topics:
Clinical Negligence - the substantive rules:
An overview of the clinical negligence claim.
Duty of care.
Breach of the duty of care / the standard of care.
Causation.
Damage.
Limitation.
Claims in contract.
Criminal law and gross negligence manslaughter.
The Role of the Coroner.
LW7145 -
Consent and Confidentiality (Core,20 Credits)
In this module you will develop a critical understanding of the laws relating to consent to treatment in England and Wales, medical confidentiality and access to medical records. You will examine the importance of legal capacity/competency in consent law and its effect on the rights of adults and children to give or withhold consent. You will examine the basis of the duty of confidence and the circumstances where disclosure of confidential medical information can be justified. The module will critically consider the complex framework that governs medical confidentiality and examine the common law and statutory requirements alongside relevant professional guidance.
This module covers the following topics:
Treatment of capable adults at common law: introducing the doctrine of informed consent and the common laws of battery and negligence in relation to consent to treatment.
Treatment of Incapable adults under the Mental Capacity Act 2005: examining how and when incapable adults can be treated without consent.
Treatment of Children and Young Persons: exploring the legal framework governing the care and treatment of children and young people and the solutions offered by common law and the primary statutes when legal and ethical issues arise in their treatment and care.
The sources of the duty of confidence.
The circumstances where disclosure of medical information can be justified and the remedies available where the duty is breached.
Disclosure issues relating to children and adults lacking capacity.
Analysis of the impact of the Human Rights Act 1998 in relation to medical confidentiality.
The Data Protection Act 2018 and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) with a particular focus on issues relating to ‘processing’ medical information and entitlement to access personal data.
LW7146 -
Medical Law in Context (Core,20 Credits)
In this module you will develop a critical understanding of the substantive legal principles set out in the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA), the Mental Health Act 2007, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA), and the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) and common law and related guidance with specific reference to care and treatment for mental disorder and those who lack capacity. You will also examine the importance of legal capacity/competency and its effect on end-of-life treatment. You will evaluate the impact of the law understanding the interaction of relevant legal principles and their practical application with reference to relevant case studies.
This module covers the following topics:
An overview of the overall structure and application of the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA), the Code of Practice to the MHA 1983, The Mental Health Act 2007 (MHA 2007) and subsequent legislation and current Government proposals for reform.
Emergency provisions of the MHA 1983.
Treatment under Part IV MHA 1983 and under Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA).
An overview of the key provisions of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA 2005) and the Mental Capacity (Amendment) Act 2019 (MCA 2019) and how they fit into the overall framework for care and treatment of those who lack capacity/ are mentally disordered.
An examination of how provision can be made for a future onset of incapacity through Advance Decisions and Lasting Powers of Attorney.
An overview of the law and ethics in relation to end of life treatment and organ donation.
Our Applicant Services team will be happy to help. They can be contacted on 0191 406 0901 or by using our Contact Form.
Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.
Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.
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* At Northumbria we are strongly committed to protecting the privacy of personal data. To view the University’s Privacy Notice please click here
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