In defence of patient/person human rights within national health care provision: implications for British nursing

Abstract

One cannot fail to be aware of the 'human rights' that are vividly thrust into our living rooms by the world's media; but, what are human rights and are they of relevance to British nursing practice? In a democratic state such as the UK, human rights infringements or violations are not typified as occurring in a health care system outwardly appearing to safeguard the interests of the patient/person. This paper examines some of the issues and concludes that the notion of human rights remains inconspicuous and peripheral to the 'real world' of clinical nursing practice. It challenges British nurses to reflect on their practice and outwardly demonstrate that nursing's contemporary language of human rights does not remain simply rhetorical in nature.