The role of conscience in healthcare decision-making is explored in this important intervention in the fields of Health Law and Ethics, Medicine, Nursing and Philosophy. It takes a broad approach to conscience, looking beyond the standard examples of conscientious objection to argue that conscience permeates healthcare decisions. However, it also shows that not all decisions of conscience are worthy of legal or societal protection and that these are interests to be weighed rather than rights. Instead, conscience should be protected only when the individual exercising conscience abides by specific responsibilities. Additionally, the book explores the important issues of complicity with healthcare decisions and institutional or organisational conscience and argues they play an oversized role in general discussions of conscience. It further claims that we ought to pay much more attention to conscientious provision. The book concludes by looking at ways to more effectively regulate claims of conscience.

A comprehensive theory of conscience and its role in healthcare decision-making, with guidance on how to regulate its exercise legally.

About the Author
Stephen W. Smith is a Reader in Medical Law and Ethics at Cardiff University, where he directs the Legal Aspects of Medical Practice programme. He is the author of End-of-Life Decisions in Medical Care: Principles and Policies for Regulating the Dying Process (Cambridge, 2012).


Book Information
ISBN 9781108490115
Author Stephen W. Smith
Format Hardback
Page Count 221
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press