[Social medicine aspects in expert assessment according to the new long-term care legislation].

According to the new German 'Betreuungsgesetz' (BtG) legislation concerning care for the mentally and or physically disabled, instituting a "case of care" requires an expert opinion on the patient's mental and physical impairments as well as on the question as to what degree the patient lacks the ability to manage his or her own affairs. The respect for the personal autonomy has to be weighed against the need to take action for the patient's benefit. The concept of 'neglect' ('Verwahrlosung') plays an important role in judging a patient's situation. Criteria for the use of this term are derived from a study carried out by the author, and lead to a questionnaire designed for preparatory investigations. As to the question of who should act as an expert in BtG cases, the author argues that the public health offices qualify best for this task.