UK: University of Bristol Law School – Coronavirus Research Update

Welcome to the latest issue of the Law School’s Coronavirus Research Update. This issue provides an update on the work of our academics as they explore ways to mitigate against the impact of COVID-19 through law and policy adaptation.
IN THIS ISSUE:
Centre for Health Law and Society
GLOBAL PUBLIC HEALTH – AN AGILE RESPONSE: Over recent months, Professor Keith Syrett has questioned the European Commission’s roadmap for the lifting of coronavirus measures, after being slow to respond with recommendations for putting protective measures in place. He provided the UK perspective for a Harvard Law symposium on the global response to COVID-19, particularly focusing on the severity of restrictions on liberty in the UK and the indirect impact on vulnerable groups. He has also assisted local NHS decision-makers on the ethical and legal dimensions of setting priorities for treatment during the pandemic. Against this backdrop, and in collaboration with Professor Helen Lambert (Population Health Sciences), Professor Syrett has since helped establish a rapid response fund to look at Covid-19 from a global public health perspective and promote the welfare of vulnerable communities around the world.
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A PERFECT STORM – PATIENTS, PSYCHIATRISTS AND THE PANDEMIC: A blog by Professor Judy Laing outlines the potential of the pandemic to spark a major mental health crisis, with stringent lockdown measures increasing social isolation and psychological distress, compounded by fear of infection and anxiety about losing income and livelihoods. Judy, an expert in mental health law, rights and policy, is currently advising a local mental health trust and a Clinical Commissioning Group on the ethical and human rights implications of the Covid pandemic. She has also been awarded funding to conduct research into the implications of Covid 19 in detention settings for the treatment and wellbeing of detainees.
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UK PROCUREMENT: OPPORTUNITIES DURING AND AFTER COVID-19: On 12 May 2020, the annual LUPC/SUPC Conference was available online. It featured Professor Albert Sanchez-Graells who chaired the event, opening with a session that explored the many ways in which the procurement landscape is changing in the UK and beyond in response to the COVID-19 crisis. Following the conference, the House of Commons International Trade Committee published Professor Sanchez-Graells’ written evidence on the impact of the pandemic on international trade and, more recently, he was quoted in a Wired Magazine article which focused on ‘How coronavirus reshaped the NHS’.
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Centre for Law at Work
FUTURES OF WORK – GENDER INEQUALITIES AND COMPASSION. In a COVID-19 special issue of Futures of Work, Professor Joanne Conaghan explores the gendered impacts of COVID-19 on work and workers – arguing that inequality is neither random nor unfortunate, but instead structurally engineered, legally enforced, and politically and ideologically driven. Whilst Professor Charlotte Villiers asks if the pandemic could lead to more compassionate workplaces – and what could become the new normal from a corporate governance perspective for the treatment of employees and workers.
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COVID-19: THE IMPACT ON WORKERS’ RIGHTS IN THE UK: On 15 May, Professor Michael Ford was interviewed for an Oxford Human Rights Hub podcast in which he discussed the impact of coronavirus on worker’s rights in the UK at a time when furloughed employees, those who are self-employed, and those who must now seek social security benefits face an unprecedented level of uncertainty.
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COPING IN A CRISIS: THE COMPASSIONATE WAY FORWARD: In partnership with Social Value UK, Professor Charlotte Villiers has created a guide for coping in the workplace with COVID-19, and how you can be a responsible leader for your team and workplace. As the lockdown is lifted many businesses will struggle to recover, leaving people without work or more insecure than ever before as their social and economic well-being suffer. Such a traumatic event requires a compassionate response from employers to enable their workers to cope with the challenges they face. Professor Villiers has also written a blog on the issue.
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Human Rights Implementation Centre
NO EXCUSE FOR UNLAWFUL DEPRIVATION OF LIBERTY: Elina Steinerte, Visiting Research Fellow at the Human Rights Implementation Centre, led the work of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) in drafting a new Deliberation adopted by the WGAD to advise the States worldwide on the prevention of arbitrary deprivation of liberty in the context of public health emergencies with specific emphasis on COVID-19.
“The prohibition of arbitrary detention is absolute even during times of public emergencies.  Imposition of mandatory quarantine, from which a person cannot leave for any reason, in the context of a public health emergency is de facto deprivation of liberty and safeguards against arbitrariness must be strictly observed.”
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THE PANDEMIC AND PRECARIOUSLY PLACED GROUPS: In collaboration with International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (The Hague) and the University of Melbourne, Dr Devyani Prabhat‘s latest research project focuses on the impact of the pandemic on already precariously placed groups, particularly exploring the legal issues of children of ISIS fighters. These are children that remain in camps in conflict ridden areas, in Syria or surrounding areas, despite having associations with countries which could repatriate them. The situation has been significantly compounded by COVID-19.
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PRISONS AND THE PANDEMIC: Professor Sir Malcolm Evans has been leading a global charge to protect the incarcerated during COVID-19 pandemic. In May he joined the European Parliament (approx 11 mins in) to discuss the urgent need to continue monitoring work to ensure that legal obligations are upheld. More recently, in recognition of International Day for Survivors of Torture (26 June), he published a joint statement with the Chair of the European Parliament on the issue.
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Digital Fireside Talks
THE ROLE OF THE CIVIC UNIVERSITY IN COVID-19 RECOVERY: In June, Professor Morag McDermont joined Professor John Iredale, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Health and Life Sciences and Dr Helen Manchester, Reader in Digital Inequalities and Urban Futures and Lecturer in Educational and Social Futures in the School of Education in a Digital Fireside Talk on the role of the civic university and, in particular, her work with the Wellspring Settlement and their response to COVID-19. The results of a survey undertaken with individuals living in the local community gave a unique insight into the first few weeks of lockdown and the strong desire for ongoing social contact that many felt, without, would have a significant impact on their mental health. The second phase of research has just been finalised and will be ready for publication next month.
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Student Opportunities
DO YOU WANT TO HELP SHAPE A POST-COVID WORLD?  Find out how to specialise in change making legal fields through our range of distinctive LLMs.  Led by academics that are leaders in their respective sectors, we offer a unique opportunity for our students and graduates to help shape and inform the policy and legislation that will emerge as a result of COVID-19. Learn more about the Law School’s coronavirus research and opportunities on our Coronavirus Research Hub – which also includes information about our MSc in Social-Legal Studies and how this course in particular provides sound research training if you are planning to progress to a PhD or career in socio-legal research.
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Coming Next Month…
IN THE NEXT ISSUE:

  • Times Higher Education: Protecting detainees and those deprived of their liberty
  • Resources: Health Law and COVID-19
  • Report: NHS workforce in England
  • Special Issue: Public Health Ethics
  • Project Funding: Update
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