Health (in)justice—Examining structural dysfunction in health system law

Professor Fiona McDonald, from the Faculty of Law, presents her inaugural lecture.

In her first lecture as Professor of Law, Professor Fiona McDonald examines the ways our use of rules—legal, ethical, policies and standards—raises complex and deeply important questions about how our systems enable health (in)justice. Professor McDonald’s research journey started when she sat in a specialist’s office as a 19-year-old student at Te Herenga Waka, and heard words no one wants to hear. As she sat there with the noises of the world drowned out by those words echoing over and over in her head, she thought about power, privilege and their impact on people’s access to and experience of the health system. Reflecting on vignettes of her patient experience, she discusses the implications of these moments for health systems law, policy and ethics. If our health system is an expression of our values, what are they? And, how can we, and how should we, use the law to ‘better’ express and enable those values?

This is Professor McDonald's inaugural lecture as Professor of Law at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

Three academics, one male, two female wearing academic dress in front of a pale green wall — Inaugural Lecture: Professor Geoff McLay, Professor Fiona McDonald, and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic, Professor Robyn Longhurst.

Our public lecture series gives you the opportunity to engage with the latest thinking on the world’s major issues. To stay informed of upcoming public events and lectures at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, sign up to the public lecture mailing list.