Relating to the relatives : breaking bad news

Legally the partner or next of kin of a mentally competent patient has no right to information unless the patient has expressly authorized it.

However, this is one area where common sense and custom dictate otherwise.

As with many ethical dilemmas, the issues raised are highly complex.

This book should help all those working in health care who have found these issues difficult to deal with, and provides practical examples, protocols and case studies.