A British doctor’s duty to offer help in emergencies outside of a clinical setting

Abstract

The General Medical Council clearly states that a doctor must offer help when off-duty, if an emergency arises. However, despite an English doctor’s professional duty to offer their assistance, this duty does not exist as a legal duty. Therefore, a doctor would not be held negligent for failing to offer help, outside of their clinical setting. This article will critically analyse the reasons behind this lack of legal duty, comparing the law to other jurisdictions.