Thread by @DrArpan100

#COVID19 highlights the need for reform of the medicolegal system. Today, we call on the gov't to facilitate an independent public enquiry to address persistent issues, incl. those that may disproportionately affect the #BAME community.

Open access paper: journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.11…

@BAPIOUK @RameshMehta15 @jsbamrah
@CNagpaul @anilkjain61 @ahmedaftab68
@Robhendry23Rob @DrJennyVaughan @djnicholl @NHSResolution @Julie_NorrisKN @kamleshkhunti @doctor_oxford @Prof_JonMont @GraemeLaurie @RoySocMed @RCPLondon @DHSCgovuk @MattHancock @bmj_latest @TheLancet

During the pandemic, many doctors and other HCPs have worked in unfamiliar surroundings and been assigned to new clinical areas, while balancing an unprecedented workload and addressing an overall lack of knowledge about the virus itself.

This has led to concerns that there may be an increase in complaints about treatment provided in these circumstances & competing arguments on how these should be handled within the criminal, civil & regulatory system.

We analyse this in our paper published today @EditorJRSM.

Another area of concern is the fact that #COVID19 is a disease that *does* discriminate: there is the potential for frontline #BAME HCPs to be ‘double hit’ by COVID-19...

...on the one hand, they are subjected to disproportionate personal medical risks from COVID-19, and on the other hand, they may be at greater medicolegal risk as well. The latter needs to be carefully monitored and mitigated against at all levels in the healthcare system.

For more information, please visit:

law.ed.ac.uk/news-events/ne…

Thank you.