UK woman who killed disabled son detained in hospital indefinitely – The Guardian

‘A woman who killed her disabled 10-year-old son after undergoing a breakdown during the UK’s coronavirus lockdown has been detained in hospital indefinitely.’

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The Guardian, 11th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Re E [2021] EWCOP 7 – The COVID-19 Vaccine & Capacity – Pump Court Chambers

‘It was just over a month between the first Covid-19 vaccination being administered and the first reported COP decision relating to it. As ever, this decision is fact specific, but there are some important points to take away.’

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Pump Court Chambers, 11th February 2021

Source: www.pumpcourtchambers.com

Number of prisoners in England and Wales on suicide watch rises steeply – The Guardian

Posted February 11th, 2021 in mental health, news, prisons, statistics, suicide by sally

‘The number of prisoners put on suicide or self-harm watch has risen dramatically over the past decade, a Guardian investigation has found, as experts warn the scale of the mental health crisis in prisons has escalated during the coronavirus pandemic.’

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The Guardian, 10th February 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

COVID-19 vaccination: capacity and best interests – the first reported Court of Protection judgement – Family Law

‘On 20 January 2021 in the matter of Re E (Vaccine) [2021] EWCOP 7, the Vice-President of the Court of Protection Mr Justice Hayden, delivered the first reported judgement in a vaccination dispute. Mrs E, the 80 year old dementia sufferer at the centre of the dispute (and who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia some 20 years ago), was living in a care home where there had been several cases of COVID-19. On 8 January 2021, the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham informed Mrs E’s Accredited Legal Representative that she was to be offered a COVID-19 injection on 11 January, however her son, Mr W, objected to this. Due to the risk of Mrs E succumbing to COVID-19, her legal representatives urgently sought a declaration, pursuant to s.15 of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (“MCA 2005”), that it would be lawful and in her best interests to receive the vaccine at the next possible date (the appointment on 11 January having been missed due to the son’s objection).’

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Family Law, 3rd February 2021

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Community Treatment Orders: does seeing patients remotely suffice? – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 8th, 2021 in coronavirus, detention, local government, mental health, news, remote hearings by tracey

‘Jonathan Auburn and Lucy McCann assess whether decision-making as to community treatment orders requires physical attendance.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 5th February 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Angela Wrightson: Teenage torture killers keep anonymity – BBC News

‘Two teenagers who tortured and murdered a vulnerable woman in her own home have been granted lifelong anonymity.’

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BBC News, 4th February 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Inquest finds mother took overdose after removal of disability benefits – The Guardian

Posted January 28th, 2021 in benefits, coroners, government departments, inquests, mental health, news, suicide by sally

‘A severely mentally ill young mother died from a deliberate overdose after the removal of her disability benefits left her destitute, trapped in a months-long state of high anxiety and haunted by suicidal thoughts, an inquest has concluded.’

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The Guardian, 27th January 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Calls to LawCare about anxiety more than double – Legal Futures

Posted January 28th, 2021 in charities, coronavirus, legal profession, mental health, news, statistics by sally

‘Calls from legal professionals about anxiety more than doubled in 2020, the chief executive of welfare charity LawCare has said.’

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Legal Futures, 28th January 2021

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Lockdown may have played part in rise of domestic child killings, says Met – The Guardian

Posted January 27th, 2021 in child abuse, coronavirus, homicide, London, mental health, news, police by sally

‘The pressures of lockdown may have played a part in a rise in children killed in domestic homicides, Britain’s biggest police force today said.’

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The Guardian, 26th January 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Remote justice and Tribunal case management – Doughty Street Chambers

‘In GL v Elysium Healthcare Upper Tribunal Judge Kate Markus has provided a helpful reminder of the importance of maintaining standards of fairness in the remote environment.’

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Doughty Street Chambers, 12th January 2021

Source: insights.doughtystreet.co.uk

Divisional Court finds Mental Health Act assessments require physical attendance and cannot be undertaken remotely – Local Government Lawyer

‘The phrases “personally seen” in s. 11(5) of the Mental Health Act 1983 and “personally examined” in s. 12(1) require the physical attendance of the person in question on the patient, the Divisional Court has clarified.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th January 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

New survey from Bar Council finds barristers at “breaking point” – The Bar Council

Posted January 25th, 2021 in barristers, coronavirus, debts, diversity, employment, fees, mental health, news, statistics by tracey

‘The Bar Council, which represents all barristers in England and Wales, has today published findings from its most recent survey of the Bar. The findings show some signs of recovery in workload, but highlight the extreme financial and psychological hardship still facing many barristers.’

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The Bar Council, 22nd January 2021

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Met police officer faces new hearing over death of mentally ill black man – The Guardian

‘A senior police officer cleared of misconduct over the high-profile death of a mentally ill black man is to face fresh disciplinary proceedings because of failings in the original case, the Observer can reveal.’

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The Guardian, 24th January 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Assange cannot be extradited, but free speech arguments dismissed — an extended look – UK Human Rights Blog

‘In The Government of the United States v Julian Assange (2021), the District Judge sitting at Westminster Magistrates’ Court discharged the American extradition request against the founder of WikiLeaks because there is a substantial risk that he would commit suicide. Given Julian Assange’s political notoriety as an avowed whistle-blower, however, the judgment is significant for its dismissal of the defence’s free speech arguments. This article analyses why these human rights submissions were unsuccessful.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 21st January 2021

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Families of citizens dying after contact with police still await justice – The Guardian

‘Relatives of people who have died after contact with the police have told of their distrust in and dissatisfaction with the ability of the complaints system to help deliver justice.’

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The Guardian, 18th January 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Mental Health Act reforms aim to tackle high rate of black people sectioned – The Guardian

‘Reforms to the Mental Health Act will help tackle the disproportionate number of black people sectioned, the government has announced.’

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The Guardian, 13th January 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

Errol Graham: Starved man’s family take benefits case to court – BBC News

‘The family of a mentally ill man who starved to death after his benefits were stopped will take on the government at the High Court later.’

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BBC News, 12th January 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

A duty of care – what does the new standard of proof in inquests mean? – 5SAH

‘On the 11th of July 2016 a prisoner Mr James Maughan was found dead in his prison cell having hanged himself. The investigation into the factual circumstances surrounding his death found that he had a history of mental health issues and had previously made threats of self-harm. The evening before his death he had been in an agitated state.’

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5SAH, 7th January 2021

Source: www.5sah.co.uk

Article 3 psychiatric cases: history and latest developments (Part 1) – Ruby Peacock – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted January 8th, 2021 in deportation, human rights, mental health, news, suicide by tracey

‘In this two-part article, Ruby Peacock, an aspiring barrister and currently a legal and policy intern at the Legal Resources Centre in Cape Town, examines the history of medical claims brought under Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 7th January 2021

Source: ukhumanrightsblog.com

Judge refuses to free Julian Assange on bail as US appeals ruling against extradition – The Independent

Posted January 7th, 2021 in appeals, bail, deportation, mental health, news, surety by tracey

‘Julian Assange has lost an attempt to be freed on bail as he awaits a US appeal against a judge’s ruling that he cannot be extradited.’

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The Independent, 6th January 2021

Source: www.independent.co.uk