The Human Rights Act 1998 and medical treatment: time for re-examination

There was much speculation about the potential impact of the Human Rights Act 1998 on established principles of health care practice. Now the statute has been "bedded in", predictions that existing good practice would not fall foul of the legislation provided it was demonstrable, have proved to be broadly accurate. This paper illustrates the approach of the courts to areas of difficulty related to medical treatment and highlights, in particular, possible challenges under the Act by the mature minor whose refusal of treatment has been overridden. This includes a discussion of those with learning disabilities, and reference is also made to the implications of the legislation in relation to confidentiality and child protection.