COVID-19 is an illness that can affect your lungs and airways. It's caused by a virus called coronavirus.
This page is updated regularly with information and guidance about Coronavirus.
Like the whole of the NHS, CNWL is well prepared to deal with the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic.
Staff are very aware of the worries people have and we are here to help and offer support throughout it.
There are many questions people will have and most are covered in the national advice (like how to look after yourself, what to do if you are a carer, how to self isolate, or if you are worried about your pets):
We are taking particular care of people who may be more vulnerable; generally, these infections can cause more severe symptoms in people with weakened immune systems, older people, and those with long-term conditions like diabetes, cancer and chronic lung disease. Please talk to staff about your worries.
However you will see some changes; our wards are restricting numbers of visitors to help prevent the spread to vulnerable patients, but if you have a special request about visiting a patient, please speak to the ward team beforehand.
We are also asking all visitors to make sure they have good hand hygiene and stay away if feeling unwell. Also existing guidance remains; so if you are experiencing diarrhoea, vomiting, or flu-like symptoms: please do not visit.
Over the next few weeks we may make changes to services and to patient care. We will only do this to protect essential NHS Services so that the whole NHS System works together to protect those whose need is greatest.
Please talk to our staff about this advice or about your worries.
- Section 2 and Section 3 applications, court orders and transfer directions that would normally require two medical recommendations now only require one recommendation if the AMHP /court/Secretary State considers that obtaining a second recommendation is impractical or would involve undesirable delay
- Exceptions to the above are hospital directions under Section 45A - which require oral evidence before the Court, and Part II applications (Section 2 and 3) by Nearest Relatives which still require two recommendations
- Single recommendations used, on which Part II applications (Section 2 and 3) are founded must be made by a Section 12 doctor, they are amendable under Section 15(1) AND replaceable under Section 15(2)
- Any doctor can put a patient on Section 5(2) if they consider that obtaining the attendance of the clinician in charge of treatment would be impractical or involve undesirable delay, it’s not just “the nominated deputy” who can do that now
- Section 5(2) lasts for 120 hours (5 days) up from 72 hours (3 days)
- Section 5(4) lasts for 12 hours up from 6 hours
- Courts may order consecutive periods of remand under Section 35 or Section 36 for as long as necessary, it is no longer limited to 12 weeks maximum
- The time limit between the making or a remand, court order or hospital direction and the person’s admission to hospital has been removed
- The time limit between the making of a transfer direction and the person’s admission to hospital has increased from 14 days to 28 days
- ACs in charge of treatment may certify medication under Section 58 (Form T3) for patients who are not capable or not consenting, if they consider that arranging for a SOAD to provide that certificate is impractical or would involve undesirable delay, and may consult only one person prior to issuing that certificate if they consider that consulting a second person is impractical or would involve undesirable delay
- Sections 135(1) and 136 authorise detention in a place of safety for up to 36 hours, instead of 24 hours, the power for a doctor to extend for a further 12 hours on clinical grounds remains
If you require any further information please feel free to contact Anthony Beschizza, Head of Mental Health Law at anthony.beschizza@nhs.net , Jennifer Horne, Deputy Head of Mental Health Law at jennifer.horne@nhs.net or Emma Clews,