HME711 - Health Law and Ethics
Unit details
| Year | 2026 unit information |
|---|---|
| Enrolment modes: | Trimester 2: Online |
| Credit point(s): | 1 |
| EFTSL value: | 0.125 |
| Unit Chair: | Trimester 2: TBC |
| Prerequisite: | Nil |
| Corequisite: | Nil |
| Incompatible with: | Nil |
| Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment: | 1-3 online modules per week (learner-led activities) with online discussions, and 6 x 1 hour online seminars per trimester (not mandatory). |
| Typical study commitment: | Students will on average spend 150 hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit. |
Content
The unit aims to equip students with the skills to manage ethical and legal issues that may arise in the context of health service delivery in Australia. It presents an overview of current legislation governing Australia’s multifaceted healthcare system and of contemporary ethical issues in health service delivery. Students in the Unit will examine the application of legal and ethical principles in the context of operational decisions in healthcare.
Students will be introduced to the underlying concepts, values, and principles of health law and ethics, and learn to apply these in the analysis of issues and in the resolution of dilemmas in professional decision-making and policy-making. Topics covered will include ethical theory and Australian health law; confidentiality, privacy and consent; justice in resource allocation; professional issues such as conflicts of interest, competency, and reporting obligations; complaints, negligence, and liability; management of novel or emerging ethicolegal issues; professional boards and ethical governance mechanisms.
Learning outcomes
| ULO | These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can: | Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs) |
|---|---|---|
| ULO1 | Identify, describe, and evaluate legislation, case law, and key features of the Australian legal system pertinent to health service. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO2 | Explain and apply fundamental concepts and principles of health law and ethics. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO3 | Identify and critically evaluate ethicolegal questions and issues that may arise in the context of healthcare policy and practice. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO4 | Formulate well justified recommendations for the management of ethicolegal issues in healthcare policy and practice. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
| ULO5 | Effectively and respectfully collaborate and communicate with peers in the discussion of ethicolegal issues that may arise in the setting of health service delivery. | GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities |
Assessment
| Assessment description | Student output | Grading and weighting (% total mark for unit) | Indicative due week |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessment 1: Case scenarios | Written response | 40% |
|
| Assessment 2: Discussion board posts | Written response | 20% |
|
| Assessment 3: Analysis of an ethicolegal issue in health service delivery | Video presentation | 40% |
|
The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.
Learning resource
The texts and reading list for HME711 can be found via the University Library.
Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
To fully engage with Deakin's learning experiences, students must be able to access and use internet-connected devices as outlined in computing requirements at Deakin.
To support student success at Deakin, we have a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) learning environment that acknowledges that students and educators bring with them the digital tools they regularly use to complete academic tasks. These tools stay with you beyond the classroom, helping you to keep learning, explore ideas more deeply, and connect with knowledge in ways that matter to you.
Students requiring a loan device should visit our Loan Laptop webpage or students requiring longer-term assistance should visit our Student Financial Assistance webpage.
Unit Fee Information
Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.
Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.
For further information regarding tuition fees, other fees and charges, invoice due dates, withdrawal dates, payment methods visit our Current Students website.