Upsides and (mostly) downsides of providing healthcare during COVID

+Practice
In print
MEDICOLEGAL

Upsides and (mostly) downsides of providing healthcare during COVID

Gaeline Phipps

Gaeline Phipps

Globe
Through COVID-19, the world has kept turning, meaning protection from legal processes is still important [Image: Greg Rosenke on Unsplash]

Wellington barrister Gaeline Phipps considers what life has been like in medical practice during the ‘COVID years’, from complaints processes and difficulty accessing care to effects on family members

Key points, During the COVID-19 pandemic, health practitioners have faced long hours and burnout, yet there has been no relief from long complaints processes. G, Pract Green w Pale Yellow
References

1. Health and Disability Commissioner. Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2021. https://www.hdc.org.nz/news-resources/search-resources/annual-reports/annual-report-for-the-year-ended-30-june-2021/

2. Medical Council of New Zealand. Safe practice in an environment of resource limitation. September 2018. https://www.mcnz.org.nz/our-standards/current-standards/medical-care-and-prescribing/safe-practice-in-an-environment-of-resource-limitation/

3. Kay M, Mitchell G, Clavarino A, et al. Doctors as patients: a systematic review of doctors’ health access and the barriers they experience. Br J Gen Pract 2008;58(552):501–08.

4. Fox F, Harris M, Taylor G, et al. What happens when doctors are patients? Qualitative study of GPs. Br J Gen Pract 2009;59(568):811–18.

5. Chen Y, Persson P, Polyakova M. The roots of health inequality and the value of intra-family expertise. February 2019. NBER Working Paper No. w25618. https://ssrn.com/abstract=3346264