Disclosure of Whatsapp Messages in the Covid Inquiry

Disclosure of Whatsapp Messages in the Covid Inquiry Gareth Rhys The King on the application of the Cabinet Office v The Chair of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry [2023] EWHC 1702 (Admin)  In a decision that may come as little surprise to those working in the fields of inquiries and public…

The Justice Committee Report into the Coroners Service – is a long overdue overhaul in the offing?

The House of Commons Justice Committee – The Coroner Service – First Report of Session 2021-2022 On 27 May 2021, following an inquiry into the effectiveness and capacity of the Coroner Service in England and Wales, the House of Commons Justice Committee published a report calling for a number of…

“First Do No Harm”

The Independent Medicines & Medical Devices Safety Review (The Cumberlege Review)  This article originally appeared in Issue 6 (September 2020). “We have been astonished,” wrote the authors of the Cumberlege Report, “how the healthcare system – which includes the NHS, private providers, the regulators and professional bodies, manufacturers, and policymakers…

The Civil Justice Council Rapid Review

Civil Justice Council Report on the Impact of COVID-19 on Civil Court Users Published The Review  The Civil Justice Council was requested by the Master of the Rolls (Sir Terence Etherton) to conduct a rapid review between 1 and 15 May 2020 on the impact of COVID-19 on the civil…

Being BAME is a Major Risk Factor for Dying of Covid-19 – What Can Be Done About It?

Introduction  This article originally appeared in a Covid-19 Special Issue (July 2020). The Public Health England (“PHE”) review into the disparities in risks and outcomes of COVID deaths was published on 3 June 2020. It was intended to address increasing concerns, notably voiced by the British Medical Association, about the…

How to Improve Patient Safety Post-Paterson

Report of the Independent Inquiry into the Issues raised by Paterson  This article originally appeared in Issue 5 (May 2020). The report of the Independent Inquiry into the case of surgeon Dr Ian Paterson was published on 4 February 2020. It makes for harrowing reading.  One of the Inquiry’s key…