A researcher's journey for clarity: clarifying liability and indemnity issues when carers take on a role in medicines management.

Crowley, John and Davis, A. (2008) A researcher's journey for clarity: clarifying liability and indemnity issues when carers take on a role in medicines management. Journal Of Psychiatric & Mental Health Nursing, 15 (9). pp. 717-721. ISSN 1365-2850

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Abstract

A client attending a depot clinic in a mental health setting requested that her husband be
enabled to give her injection. This request was followed up in a practice development
project. Following the success of the project, the local National Health Service (NHS)
Mental Health Trust supported a research project to explore the issues raised further. The
Local Research Ethics Committee raised a question around carer liability. This question led
to a 2-year liaison with the NHS Litigation Authority, the local NHS Trust’s legal team,
Royal College of Nursing and others. The journey clarified that liability for a carer was
covered under the Third Party Liability Scheme, where the carer came under the umbrella
of being an ‘authorised voluntary worker’. While the experience delayed the research
project, it was a significant learning opportunity in the NHS ethical approval system

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