GB 0100 KCLCA KFLE/LWP - King's College London Centre for Medical Law and Ethics Living Wills Project

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0100 KCLCA KFLE/LWP

Title

King's College London Centre for Medical Law and Ethics Living Wills Project

Date(s)

  • 1985-1992 (Creation)

Level of description

Extent and medium

3 boxes or 0.03 cubic metres

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The Centre for Medical Law and Ethics, part of the School of Law, was opened in 1978 to undertake research, organise teaching and publish papers concerning issues in medicine involving law and ethics. It draws on the expertise of staff in numerous schools and departments including medicine and theology and offers undergraduate course units and an MA and Diploma programme. The Living Wills Working Party was set up between the Centre and the charity, Age Concern, in 1985, as an early exercise in methodological appraisal of the subject and comprised a forerunner to the Living Wills Project run by the Centre and the AIDS charity, the Terrence Higgins Trust, to measure and evaluate the demand for advanced legal directives and powers of attorney pertaining to medical treatment of terminally or chronically-ill patients.

Archival history

GB 0100 KCLCA KFLE/LWP 1985-1992 Series of sub-Fonds of King's College London Centre for Medical Law and Ethics Records 3 boxes or 0.03 cubic metres King's College London Centre for Medical Law and Ethics

The Centre for Medical Law and Ethics, part of the School of Law, was opened in 1978 to undertake research, organise teaching and publish papers concerning issues in medicine involving law and ethics. It draws on the expertise of staff in numerous schools and departments including medicine and theology and offers undergraduate course units and an MA and Diploma programme. The Living Wills Working Party was set up between the Centre and the charity, Age Concern, in 1985, as an early exercise in methodological appraisal of the subject and comprised a forerunner to the Living Wills Project run by the Centre and the AIDS charity, the Terrence Higgins Trust, to measure and evaluate the demand for advanced legal directives and powers of attorney pertaining to medical treatment of terminally or chronically-ill patients.

Transferred to the Archives from the Centre in 1996 and 1998.

Records of the Living Wills Working Group and Living Wills Project at The Centre of Medical Law and Ethics at King's College London, 1985-1992. The papers of the Living Wills Working Party, 1985-1989, including correspondence of the Working Party and opinions of other organisations on the development of the report, 1985-1989; unbound copy of the final Living Wills Working Party report, 1988. Papers of the Living Wills Project, 1990-1992, including agendas and minutes of meetings, 1991-1992; thesis by Charlotta Schlyter 'AIDS and Aid-in-Dying the Impact of AIDS on the Debate Over Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide and Cessation of Treatment', 1990; papers regarding the development of the questionnaires, 1991-1992; correspondence with AIDS agencies, medical professionals, and other regarding the development and distribution of questionnaires, 1991-1992; completed questionnaires and analysis of the data gathered during the Project,1991-1992.

The collection has been arranged into the categories above.

Records relating to individuals are subject to the Data Protection Act, and are closed for 80 years from the last date in the file. They may be consulted by Centre for Medical Law and Ethics staff with permission from the Head of Department. Access may be granted to researchers in certain circumstances, and upon signature of a special undertaking, providing such research if for purely statistical purposes and published data is anonymised such as to prevent the identification of individuals.

Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Director of Archive Services
English

The catalogue is available on-line and in hard copy in the Archive reading room.

King's College London Archives: Centre for Medical Law and Ethics postgraduate student files, 1985-1986 (Ref: KCLCA KFLE/FPPG); Financial records of the Centre, (Ref. KCLA 1998/KFLE); annual prospectuses for the Centre (Ref: KCLCA KFL/SYL 1-2); records of the Persistent Vegetative State (PVS) Project (Ref: KCLCA KFLE/PVS).

Entry compiled by Geoff Browell. Updated by Katie Mooney when the collection was catalogued.  Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.  August 2001; updated December 2005. AIDS Civil and political rights Diseases Documents Euthanasia Health and welfare legislation Human rights Infectious diseases Information sources King's College London , Centre for Medical Law and Ethics Law Legislation Living wills Medical ethics Medical legislation Medical profession Medical sciences Pathology Primary documents Right to life Venereal diseases Wills

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Transferred to the Archives from the Centre in 1996 and 1998.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of the Living Wills Working Group and Living Wills Project at The Centre of Medical Law and Ethics at King's College London, 1985-1992. The papers of the Living Wills Working Party, 1985-1989, including correspondence of the Working Party and opinions of other organisations on the development of the report, 1985-1989; unbound copy of the final Living Wills Working Party report, 1988. Papers of the Living Wills Project, 1990-1992, including agendas and minutes of meetings, 1991-1992; thesis by Charlotta Schlyter 'AIDS and Aid-in-Dying the Impact of AIDS on the Debate Over Euthanasia, Assisted Suicide and Cessation of Treatment', 1990; papers regarding the development of the questionnaires, 1991-1992; correspondence with AIDS agencies, medical professionals, and other regarding the development and distribution of questionnaires, 1991-1992; completed questionnaires and analysis of the data gathered during the Project,1991-1992.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

The collection has been arranged into the categories above.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Records relating to individuals are subject to the Data Protection Act, and are closed for 80 years from the last date in the file. They may be consulted by Centre for Medical Law and Ethics staff with permission from the Head of Department. Access may be granted to researchers in certain circumstances, and upon signature of a special undertaking, providing such research if for purely statistical purposes and published data is anonymised such as to prevent the identification of individuals.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Director of Archive Services

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

King's College London Archives: Centre for Medical Law and Ethics postgraduate student files, 1985-1986 (Ref: KCLCA KFLE/FPPG); Financial records of the Centre, (Ref. KCLA 1998/KFLE); annual prospectuses for the Centre (Ref: KCLCA KFL/SYL 1-2); records of the Persistent Vegetative State (PVS) Project (Ref: KCLCA KFLE/PVS).

Finding aids

The catalogue is available on-line and in hard copy in the Archive reading room.

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Subject access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

King's College London College Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area