Duty of Care
To Instruct
A doctor may have to give instructions to the patient and/or the patients family after consultation or an initial intervention to complete therapy or warn about complications.
The court will look at what one would expect a "reasonable person" in the patient's circumstanes to be capable of.
For example:
- not weight bearing on an injured leg
- not eating prior to anesthetic
When the patient is delegated to perform part of the treatment there is a duty on the doctor to explain and be sure that the patient understands instructions clearly
