​​​​​​​​​​​Division of Medical Ethics and Law​

​​​​​​Education​

​​Undergraduate Education - Resources for students

 

SU Policy on Unfair Discrimination and Harassment: https://www.sun.ac.za/english/Documents/2017_Everlytic/Unfair_Discrimination_and_Harassment_ENG_2016.pdf

 

Statutes of relevance for Medical Students: 

The Acts below may not be in your text book but you might come across them in the course of your professional life.

Note that you do not have to know these Acts for the exam. Just be aware that they exist and that you might use them when you are in practice. You will not be examined on these unless they are referred to in your text book or in the lectures.

 

Basic Conditions of Employment Act

This Act sets out the rules for workplace conditions e.g. maximum hours of work, rest breaks, employment of children, seasonal workers, annual leave etc.

Exceptions to this Act are allowed by sectoral determinations.

http://www.labour.gov.za/DOL/legislation

 

Criminal Procedure Act

In terms of this Act you may be asked to withdraw blood or obtain a buccal swab on a person suspected of a crime. If the suspect refuses to co-operate, the police should produce a warrant in order for you to proceed.

https://www.gov.za/documents/acts

 

Domestic Violence Act

The purpose of this Act is to afford protection to victims of domestic violence. The victim should be informed of their right to see the clerk of the nearest court and to obtain a protection order.

http://www.justice.gov.za/legislation/acts/1998-116.pdf

 

Labour Relations Act

This Act governs collective action in the workplace i.e. trade unions, strikes, lockouts and collective bargaining. It also sets out procedures for resolution of workplace disputes at the CCMA and Labour Court.

http://www.labour.gov.za/DOL/legislation

 

Maintenance Act

Patients may attend the nearest magistrates' court for a maintenance order for their children where the other parent is in default of payment. This Act also makes provision for subsidised paternity tests where paternity is in question and the complainant is indigent.

http://www.justice.gov.za/legislation/acts/1998-116.pdf

 

Sexual Offences Act

In terms of section 54 of this Act, anyone who suspects that a child has been abused is to report it to a social worker or the police. The Act excludes liability for reporting in good faith. The Children's Act (section 110) contains a similar section requiring reporting but is broader i.e. it refers to both abuse and neglect.

https://www.gov.za/documents/criminal-law-sexual-offences-and-related-matters-amendment-act-8-jul-2015-1357

https://www.gov.za/documents/childrens-act


 ​Social Media

BMA guidelines for social media

Privacy professionalism and Facebook a dilemma for young doctors

Beyond Good and Evil Exploring Medical Trainee Use of Social Media

Dual Loyalty among Military Health Professionals Human Rights and Ethics in Times of Armed Conflict

Practicing Medicine in the Age of Facebook

Danger at the frontier,Social Media and Ethics

Are you social media savy


Whistle-blowing policy

Whistle-blowing Policy(WbP) - including Annexure A.pdf

 

​Group Assignments articles:

 

  1. The Jehovah’s Witness & Blood Transfusions
  2. Human Reproduction- Termination of Pregnancy
  3. Paediatrics & Ethics
  4. Resource Allocation
  5. Health and Human Rights
  6. Ethics of genital mutilation
  7. End of Life Choices
  8. Human Reproduction- assisted reproduction
  9. Informed decision making
  10. Genetics and ethics​​
  11. Ethics pertaining to students
  12. Ethics pertaining to doctors
  13. Ethics & the pharmaceutical industry
  14. AI in Healthcare​
  15. The Ethics of HIV/ AIDS​
  16. Ethics & Human Biological Material: from cells to o​​rgans​
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