Publication of the week: Dr Sarah Sargent

J. Samanta, K. Yelden & S. Sargent, “Should People in the Minimally Conscious State have a (Recognised) Right to Reassessment?”, Contemporary Issues in Law 14.1 (2016), 63-83

Focus group work was done to consider whether patients who are in a minimally conscious state should have a formal legal right to a reconsideration of their condition. A grounded theory approach was used to assess the positions of senior decision-makers that participated in the focus groups. Focus groups included clinicians, lawyers and health care managers. The results of the research demonstrated that whether patients were able to access re-assessment was highly situational, depending upon their circumstances and the availability of expertise in this area.

Dr Sarah Sargent is the stream convener (since 2009) for the indigenous and minority rights stream for the annual SLSA conference. Her ongoing research interests focus on issues of culture and cultural heritage, as well as legal theory, in areas of law including transracial adoption and the rights of the child, and the rights of indigenous peoples. Her ongoing research interests focus on issues of culture and cultural heritage, as well as legal theory in the areas of transracial adoption and the rights of the child and the rights of indigenous peoples, as well as empirical research.

Jo Samanta is a Reader in Medical Law at De Montfort University, and Dr Kudret Yelden is a Consultant with the Royal Hospital for Neuro-Disability, Putney.