Analyzing the level of claims for clinical negligence in the light of the most recent trends and discovering whether there is indeed a litigation crisis in healthcare, this book is a topical and compelling exploration of healthcare and doctor-patient relationships.The author:identifies and analyzes the growing pressures on doctors in modern society, placing their role in contextexplores some of the myths surrounding media claims about malpracticeconsiders the practice of 'defensive medicine' and the difference between defensive practices and sensible risk managementexamines external pressures, such as political interference with clinical practice in the form of target-setting and what might be described as a culture of creeping privatization of healthcare. Covering the topics of medicine and the media and the causes of occupational stress among doctors, this volume is a must read for all students of medical law and medical ethics.