Welcome to another special issue of the Quarterly Medical Law Review, brought to you by the barristers at 1 Crown Office Row. Given the fast moving nature of this situation, we will produce a number of COVID-19 related special issues, which will be emailed to subscribers and posted on the 1COR website, as per usual. This is the second version of our special edition, updating the March issue.

Download our second special issue of QMLR 21.04.2020: 1COR QMLR Special Issue April 2020

We will continue to release our normal issues too. Issue 5 will come out in May, covering all the latest developments from the Supreme Court and more.

Read all the individual articles on the QMLR Archive website here.

The first piece is by Jeremy Hyam QC and considers the recent calls for legal immunity for clinicians, particularly for volunteers.

We have two pieces on coronavirus and custody. The first is by Gideon Barth and looks at inquests and deaths in custody. The second is by Suzanne Lambert and considers immigration detention and coronavirus.

Dominic Ruck Keene considers causation and deaths from COVID-19. He then goes on to look at legal issues for employers arising from potentially inadequate PPE provision.

Darragh Coffey provides an analysis of the new Coronavirus Act. It is split into two parts – the first considers why the Act was necessary and some more general aspects, whilst the second looks at more specific parts of the Act.

Rajkiran Barhey then looks at two decisions arising out of COVID-19. The first concerns an order seeking possession of a hospital bed from a patient who did not wish to be discharged. The second relates to an application by a care home resident’s daughter for his discharge, on the basis that a decision to ban all visitors breached his ECHR rights. She also considers an application for adjournment due to coronavirus.

Richard Mumford and Caroline Cross talk us through changes to coroners’ investigations, updated to reflect the most recent Coroner’s guidance..

Matthew Flinn has written a fitting tribute to Sir John Lawswho recently passed away due to coronavirus.

Towards the end, readers will find links and extracts of new practice directions, protocols and guidance relevant to the civil courts. There is a large amount of material which we have tried to collate in one place for readers. We have also highlighted recent interesting news.

Send us your questions, queries or concerns as well as feedback and remote training session enquiries to medlaw@1cor.com.

Previous issues can be found on our website under ‘Newsletters’, listen along on our podcast LawPod UK and remember to follow us on Twitter @1corQMLR for the latest commentary.