title: Autonomy: the need for limits.
abstract: This essay addresses the issue of the autonomy of the National Health Service (NHS) patient in the UK. It is argued, with reference to clinical examples, that some patients abuse their rights to medical care to the detriment of other patients and the service providers. A case is made for limiting the rights of patients in order to improve the service for all who use it. A range of mechanisms are considered with a discussion of the issues raised by each solution in turn.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jiwa
mesh_terms: D028663:Ethical Theory; D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005194:Family Practice; D015276:Health Care Rationing; D006300:Health Services Misuse; D006801:Humans; D028701:Patient Rights; D026684:Personal Autonomy; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D016079:Refusal to Treat; D040841:Resource Allocation; D013222:State Medicine; D006113:United Kingdom; D016526:Workload