MSRA MSRA Ethics and Law 2

Question 1

A patient discloses during consultation that they are HIV-positive but refuses to inform their regular sexual partner. What is the doctor's responsibility?

Accepted Answer

Counsel the patient, encourage disclosure, and consider informing the PHSA if the partner is at serious risk

Answer

Doctors should strongly encourage patients to disclose, and if a serious identifiable risk persists after counselling, disclosure to a third party may be justified to prevent serious harm.

Question 2

A 17-year-old is brought in unconscious following a drug overdose. His parents demand full disclosure of his medical history and current treatment. What is the correct approach?

Accepted Answer

Treat the patient, and share only information necessary for immediate care, respecting prior expressed confidentiality preferences where known

Answer

Even for minors, confidentiality obligations apply; share information necessary for treatment and safety, but full historical disclosure requires either patient consent or a clear public interest justification.

Question 3

A patient lacks mental capacity and has no advance directive. What framework governs treatment decisions in England and Wales?

Accepted Answer

The Mental Capacity Act 2005

Answer

The Mental Capacity Act 2005 governs decision-making for incapacitated adults, requiring clinicians to act in the patient's best interests after consulting those close to them.

Question 4

During a ward round, a consultant makes a clinical error and asks the junior doctor not to document it. What should the junior doctor do?

Accepted Answer

Document the clinical facts accurately and escalate the error via incident reporting

Answer

The duty of candour requires honest documentation of errors and transparent reporting through incident systems; concealment is professionally and legally indefensible.

Question 5

A pharmaceutical company offers a doctor a paid speaking engagement with flights and accommodation to promote their new drug. What should the doctor do?

Accepted Answer

Decline if the arrangement could reasonably be seen as influencing prescribing behaviour

Answer

GMC guidance prohibits accepting gifts or hospitality that could influence, or appear to influence, clinical decisions; sponsored engagements tied to product promotion fall into this category.

MSRA Exam (Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment) Practice Test

MSRA Exam (Multi-Specialty Recruitment Assessment) Practice Test

MSRA MSRA Ethics and Law 2