View source for Remote assessments and coronavirus

{{Information-header}}
During the coronavirus pandemic the Department of Health and Social Care published guidance stating that remote MHA assessments by doctors and AMHPs were possible, but the High Court disagreed and held that the assessors must physically be present: Devon Partnership NHS Trust v SSHSC (2021) EWHC 101 (Admin). The court case concerned admissions under s2, 3, 4 and 7, but the DHSC have encouraged a precautionary approach which applies the principle to other situations in which the clinician or AMHP is required to ‘examine’ or ‘see’ the patient: [[NHS England, 'Further legal advice on remote MHA assessments' (3/2/21)]].

==Case law==
*{{csum|Devon Partnership NHS Trust v SSHSC (2021) EWHC 101 (Admin)}}

==NHS guidance documents==
These versions of the guidance document are listed in chronological order. 
*{{rsum|NHS, 'Legal guidance for mental health, learning disability and autism, and specialised commissioning services supporting people of all ages during the coronavirus pandemic' (v2, 19/5/20)}}
*{{rsum|NHS, 'Legal guidance for services supporting people of all ages during the coronavirus pandemic: Mental health, learning disability and autism, specialised commissioning' (v3, 30/11/20)}}
*{{rsum|NHS, 'Legal guidance for services supporting people of all ages during the coronavirus pandemic: Mental health, learning disability and autism, specialised commissioning' (v4, 25/1/21)}}

==NHS legal advice==
*{{rsum|NHS England, 'Legal advice on remote MHA assessments' (26/1/21)}}
**{{rsum|Andrew Parsons, 'Court says video assessments unlawful' (RadcliffesLeBrasseur, 28/1/21)}}
*{{rsum|NHS England, 'Further legal advice on remote MHA assessments' (3/2/21)}}
{{Information-footer
|maincat=Coronavirus
}}