COVID-19 Portal

Welcome to Hempsons’ COVID-19 Portal. Here you will find a summary of the legal changes implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Alternatively, visit our news page, which also gives a range of advice to help you through the coronavirus pandemic. You can also view our Coronavirus Act webinar.

Click here for accessibility options.

Contents

  1. Healthcare and medical law
  2. Commercial
  3. Social care
  4. Charities and Social Enterprise

Healthcare and medical law

Regulations

  1. The Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020
    • Revoked on 25 March 2020 by Schedule 21 of the Coronavirus Act 2020
  2. Regulation of Notifiable Diseases

Coronavirus Act 2020

Royal Assent for the Coronavirus Act 2020 was received late 25 March 2020.

  1. Section 51/Schedule 21 – Powers relating to potentially infectious persons
  2. Coronavirus Indemnity – advice updated 6 April 2020
  3. Emergency Volunteers – advice updated 30 March 2020
  4. Emergency Registration of Nurses and Midwives – advice updated 30 March 2020
  5. Emergency Registration of Health and Care Professionals – advice updated 30 March 2020
  6. Temporary Registration of Social Workers – advice updated 31 March 2020
  7. Managing the Deceased – advice updated 27 March 2020
  8. Registration of Deaths and Still Births – advice updated 31 March 2020
  9. Coronavirus and the Mental Health Act – advice updated 31 March 2020
  10. Coronavirus and the Mental Capacity Act – advice updated 31 March 2020
  11. Coronavirus and Continuing Healthcare – advice updated 31 March 2020
  12. Employment Law & COVID-19: Statutory Sick Pay – advice updated 25 March 2020
  13. Employment Law & COVID-19: Pensions – advice updated 30 March 2020

GMC Guidance

  1. General Medical Council guidance on the COVID-19 pandemic
  2. GMC Re-registration
  3. PPE Guidance: GMC and BMA Position

GOC Guidance

  1. General Optical Council guidance on the COVID-19 pandemic

Guidance for GPs

  1. Are GPs eligible for the new job retention scheme?
  2. COVID-19 and Annual Leave
  3. COVID-19 employment law implications for your practice
  4. Summary of NHS England and Improvement Letters to GP Practices

Guidance for Dentists

  1. NHS Guidance for Primary Dental Care
  2. The impact on the dental market
  3. The impact on the dental market – update 2
  4. Dental regulation in the shadow of COVID-19

Other Guidance

  1. COVID-19 Hospital Discharge Requirements
  2. NICE Guidelines on Critical Care Referrals
  3. HMCTS Telephone and Video Hearings during the COVID-19 Outbreak
  4. NHS Complaints during the pandemic
  5. COVID-19 and Subject Access Requests
  6. Ethical dimensions of COVID-19 for front-line staff

Commercial

Procurement and Commissioning

  1. Temporary Framework for State aid, measures to support the economy
  2. The Government issues the first Procurement Policy Note of 2020 on the impact of COVID-19 on procurement
  3. The Government has issued its second Procurement Policy Note (PPN) on the impact of COVID-19 on procurement
  4. NHS England empowered to Commission Covid-19 Services

Contractual Issues

  1. Frustration of Contract and Force Majeure Clauses in a Pandemic
  2. Exemption to Competition Rules

Employment

  1. Coronavirus Advice for Employers – PPE
  2. Employee Retention Scheme (Furlough Leave) – advice updated 27 March 2020
  3. Furlough Guidance – advice updated 7 April 2020
  4. Can charities access the Job Retention Scheme?

Information Governance

  1. ICO Guidance – COVID-19

Real Estate

  1. Commercial Tenants – Protection from Eviction

Business Closures and Personal Freedoms

  1. The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020

Social care

  1. Coronavirus and Social Care
  2. CQC Registrations
  3. Employee Retention Scheme (Furlough Leave)

Charities and Social Enterprise

  1. Charity Commission guidance for Charities regarding COVID-19
  2. Can a charity assist with efforts connected with COVID-19?
  3. Do the government’s announcements in relation to companies apply to charities and social enterprises?
  4. Can charities access the Job Retention Scheme?

NewsView all

  • Newsflash: Coronavirus and Critical Care

    Ventilators and the number of critical care beds are a regular feature of the Government’s daily briefings and the questions posed by the media. This newsflash explores the guidance currently available and which of the current legal provisions will be held to apply.

    Continue reading