SBA — Single Best Answer · Review
Question 631
Clinical Management → Clinical Practice
Classification
Question
SSBAQuestion Header
Assessment of reasonable clinical practice
Question Stem
A clinician’s management is supported by a substantial body of equivalent practitioners, but the court concludes that the professional view should not itself determine what is reasonable. Which principle allows the court to reach this conclusion?
Options
A
Axon
B
Bolam
C
Bolitho
D
Fraser
E
Gillick
Explanation
Bolam asks whether a clinician acted in accordance with a substantial body of equivalent professional opinion. Bolitho as allowing the court to decide what is reasonable and to dismiss a substantial body of professional opinion or practice as wrong.
Option Validity
A) Axon concerns termination of pregnancy in an under-age child without parental involvement, not the legal test of reasonable professional practice.
B) Bolam accepts practice supported by a substantial body of equivalent peers; the question specifically asks for the later principle allowing the court to reject such professional opinion.
D) Fraser concerns contraceptive advice and treatment for a young person.
E) Gillick concerns the competence of an under-age child to give valid consent.
Further Reading
Saxena MRCOG-1 Basic Sciences — Principles of Clinical Practice, printed p. 4.