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The patient and the community: priorities for protection

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 June 2014

Pamela J Taylor
Pamela J Taylor*
Affiliation:
Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AF
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Abstract

Man functions both as an individual and as part of his group, the two roles sometimes leading to conflicting needs. If mental disorder contributes to such conflict then a psychiatrist may be expected to take a leading role in arbitrating between the needs and rights of the individual patient before him and the needs and rights of society. This is not an easy task. This paper seeks to clarify the range of roles the psychiatrist may have to adopt when attempting such a task: his role as an individual, as a member of the general public, as an agent of the patient, as an agent of the patient's representative or even as an agent of state authority or society. Some of the dilemmas that arise in each of these roles are discussed.

Keywords

Psychiatrist rolesLimits to KnowledgeLimits of “truth”ConfidentialityPatient autonomyConsentResponsibilities to patientsResponsibilities to othersSplit allegiancesDangerousnessProtecting the professionals
Type
Original Articles
Information
Irish Journal of Psychological Medicine , Volume 6 , Issue 2 , September 1989 , pp. 128 - 134
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1989

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