Improving safety and learning from medical mistakes is central to reducing harm in healthcare. 2020 saw a number of key reports being published.

Two cases awaiting decisions from the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal respectively, could have a significant impact for healthcare organisations.

In recent years we have started to see Artificial Intelligence (AI) being used across medicine from radiology reporting to cancer diagnosis and ophthalmology.

Bill Gates’ 2015 TED talk concluded that even with the development of vaccines, global health systems would need to use technology such as mobile phones and satellite maps to ‘track and trace’ the public, in order to prevent another pandemic.

The Supreme Court confirmed that a claimant cannot recover damages for loss as a result of having committed a criminal offence, thus reinforcing the long established state of the law. We summarise the case, the decision and what it means for you.

[Updated article] There are a growing number of claims for psychiatric injury from employees who feel overworked and under supported (as well as being bullied or harassed) in the workplace.

The Court of Appeal has now handed down the ruling in Swift v Carpenter and set out a new way of assessing the value of claims for accommodation. It has departed from the established methodology previously laid down in the case of Roberts v Johnstone.

In this review of the year so far we look at some important legal decisions and developments impacting the healthcare sector and also highlight what we can still expect to come in 2020.

For a successful return to work during COVID-19, employers have a duty to carry out a risk assessment, implement safe systems of work and to keep these under review. Our risk assessment flowchart sets out the key issues for employers to consider.

Clinical trials, by their very nature, involve an element of risk for both those undertaking or sponsoring the trial and those participating in it. We consider some key medico legal issues arising from compensation claims associated with such trials.

The Supreme Court has determined that an otherwise blameless employer should not be vicariously liable where a rogue employee stole HR information relating to colleagues, as part of a vendetta against his employer.

The long awaited Paterson Inquiry report has come out today.