On 31 March 2022 the Mental Health Units (Use of force) Act 2018 (‘Seni’s Law’) came into force. The Act is the culmination of many years’ campaigning following the death of Seni Lewis, an IT graduate who died aged 23 after being restrained on a mental health unit by 11 police officers. At the inquest into his death, the jury found Seni died as a result of excessive, disproportionate and unreasonable restraint and force.

Leading healthcare law firm Hill Dickinson has added to its fast-growing team in Leeds with the hire of health property partner Emma Brecknock.

It is early days in the Liberty Protection Safeguards consultation process – open until 7 July 2022 – and there will be lots to read and digest. Changes to the MCA Code of Practice and implementation of the LPS.

The young man at the centre of this case is William Verden. William is 17 years old, he is at the “heart” of his family, enjoys playing football, golf and doing jobs for others.  He enjoys attending specialist schooling and regular respite care and he lives at home with his parents and siblings.

Welcome to the second edition of our Independent Health Sector update! We are delighted to be the Headline Sponsors for this year’s Private Healthcare Summit run by Laing Buisson with a strong focus on Sustainability and Net Zero within the Independent Healthcare market.  

As with many industries and sectors around the globe in which sustainability initiatives are often badged under the ESG (environment, social, governance) banner, organisations operating in the healthcare sector are increasingly focussed on sustainability as an essential part of their activities. This focus stems from a number of angles: the moral imperative and wish to limit the damaging effect of operations on the wider environment and community, together with the opportunity to support those communities; and the continuing trend for both customers and governments to set compulsory sustainability related thresholds which suppliers must reach before being appointed. 

Chinese investor succeeded in investment arbitration against Nigeria: Zhongshan Fucheng Industrial Investment Co. Ltd -v- Federal Republic of Nigeria, ad hoc Arbitration under UNCITRAL Rules in London, Final Award dated 26 March 2021 and published on 27 January 2022.

Sajid Javid announced in Parliament on 26 January 2022 plans to establish a new Special Health Authority to continue the Maternity Investigation Programme in England currently overseen by the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB). 

Barrister Peter Mant explores the recommendations of the Independent Human Rights Act review and the subsequent proposals for a ‘Bill of Rights’.

The Mental Health Units (Use of Force) Act 2018 received Royal Assent on 1 November 2018. The Mental Health Units (Use of Force) Act 2018 (Commencement No. 2) Regulations 2021 confirm that this legislation comes into force from 31 March 2022, with statutory guidance published on 7 December 2021.

Following in the footsteps of mandatory vaccination for staff in care homes, the Department for Health and Social Care launched a consultation in September 2021 to consider whether COVID-19 vaccinations should be compulsory for frontline NHS and healthcare workers.

NHSX has published the updated Records Management Code of Practice for Health and Social Care 2021 Records Management Code of Practice - NHSX. The format is very similar to the previous code, with an appendix (Appendix 2) that sets out the record retention period for different types of records. This appendix is very useful for data practitioners keen to ensure compliance with the UK GDPR requirement that records are not kept for longer than necessary.