My research interests lie within the broad fields of health care law and ethics, and family law. I've published on matters relating to developing/emerging biotechnologies (including xenotransplantation), reproduction, consent and capacity, and risk and regulation. I'm interested in decision-making processes and practices with regard to 'the vulnerable', including best interests assessments for pregnant women under the MHA, and how and from whom consent is obtained when a patient and her parents are under 18. I'm also exploring conscientious objection in health care practice, including for pharmacists.
1. Health care law and ethics generally. I have particular interests in:
- consent and capacity
- decision making for the 'vulnerable'
- issues relating to capacity, consent, risk and regulation
- clinical research involving human and non-human animals
- developing biotechnologies (such as xenotransplantation)
- reproduction and reproductive technologies
- organ donation and transplantation, .
2. Family law - especially issues around parents, parenthood and reproductive technologies, children and childhood - particularly children and health.
2020-21
Joint convenor, lecturer and workshop leader on Law 300 Health Care Law and Ethics.
Associate Editor - BMC Medical Ethics (Springer), Medical Law Review (Oxford University Press).
AHRC Peer Review College member.
External Examiner
Cardiff University; King's College London; University of Leicester.
I am currently working on three projects:
(i) a UKRI AHRC funded project with Lucy Frith, Anna Chiumento, Caroline Redhead (University of Liverpool) and Heather Draper and Paul Baines (University of Warwick), looking at ethical decision-making in resetting NHS paediatric and maternity services after the first wave of Covid-19: https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/population-health-sciences/departments/health-services-research/key-projects/resetethics/
(ii) a British Academy/Leverhulme funded project with Mary Neal (University of Strathclyde) exploring pharmacists' perceptions of ethical conflict and professional guidance in the light of the revised General Pharmaceutical Council Standards of Conduct, Ethics and Performance. In this project we are interviewing pharmacists in the UK about the role of personal values in their practice, and how this fits with professional expectations.
(iii) a Royal Society of Edinburgh funded project with Dr Mary Neal (University Strathclyde) and Dr Stephen Smith (Cardiff University), in which we have established the Accommodating Consciencr Research Network (ACoRN). The Network will explore the 'what', 'why', 'how', and 'when' of accommodating claims of conscience within health care practice.
