At Royds Withy King we are still able to serve all your legal needs during the Coronavirus pandemic. Find out more.
Posted by Hazel Phillips, Partner
With many care homes starting to think about opening up to visitors again, it is important that operators strike the right balance between their legal responsibilities to safeguard their staff and residents and the rights of their residents and families.
Posted by Mei-Ling Huang, Partner
The Coronavirus has challenged us like nothing before and the operational strain is more than anyone should have to bear. Unfortunately, the legal reverberations from this pandemic could go on for some time, even after we have controlled the spread of the virus.
Posted by James Sage, Partner
With approximately 8.4m jobs furloughed, roughly ¼ of the total jobs in the UK, and 1m employers furloughing, costing the Government £15bn, it was inevitable that some changes would have to be made to the furlough scheme. However, the announcements are less draconian than many had feared.
Posted by Hazel Phillips, Partner
We are regularly asked by operators whether they can protect their income where a resident cannot pay their full private fees until their property is sold. This may be particularly pertinent in the current climate where the property market has been slow.
Posted by Mei-Ling Huang, Partner
Contributing authors: Hazel Phillips and James Sage
Despite the ongoing frontline challenges, you will need to look ahead, anticipate the next set of challenges and put appropriate measures in place to protect your organisation.
Our Health & Social Care team has prepared a Briefing for Boards, CEOs and in-house counsel in the social care sector to help you identify risks that may lie ahead and deal with them appropriately to minimise the impact.
Posted by James Sage, Partner
The pandemic has given rise to a range of issues that could give staff concerns about their health and safety at work, including PPE shortages, lack of testing, outbreaks amongst staff and clients, and the increased risk they face due to underlying health conditions, age or pregnancy if infected.
It is critical that you are able to identify and deal appropriately with any health and safety concerns to minimise the risk of potential Employment Tribunal claims.
Posted by James Sage, Partner
Our May 2020 employment law update for health and social care providers includes an update on the Job Retention Scheme, details of potential cost savings where staff take holiday during furlough leave and the latest guidance on the SSP rebate scheme.
Posted by Hazel Phillips, Partner
Contributing authors:
While the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic creates extraordinary and unprecedented challenges for the care sector, there is increasing and considerable support from the Government designed to help providers navigate the weeks ahead.
Posted by Mei-Ling Huang, Partner
On 9 April 2020, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) published new Guidance for care homes and hospitals entitled: “Mental Capacity Act (2005) (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) During the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic”.
Posted by James Sage, Partner
Amid a flurry of new guidance published at the end of last week, the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) portal went live on Monday 20 April, enabling employers to submit their claims for furlough pay to HMRC.
Below is an essential update for care providers issued by our Health & Social Care team on 22 April 2020.
Posted by Hazel Phillips, Partner
In the current crisis, we are seeing existing care operators approached by commissioners to operate and manage empty care homes as COVID-19 units. Understandably there is enthusiasm to support this and mobilise quickly.
Posted by Mei-Ling Huang, Partner
This emergency legislation was pushed through in record time to allow the country to deal with this crisis quickly. Much of the Act paves the way for local authorities, CCGs, the NHS and HMRC to put emergency measures in place.