HMCTS Safety Measures – Message from the CEO – 01.12.21

Dear colleague

As I’m sure you’re aware, over the weekend the Prime Minister announced some new temporary COVID safety measures in response to the identification of a new COVID-19 variant. These include the mandatory use of face coverings in certain situations and updated self-isolation guidance.

Face coverings have been a requirement for all those using our buildings (unless exempt) and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future.

I want to reassure you that all our buildings continue to meet public health and safety guidelines, and our risk assessment arrangements remain in place to ensure these standards are maintained.

As always, individuals are responsible for their own safety – we all have a role to play and must take our personal responsibilities for safety seriously. I ask that you and your colleagues follow all Government safety advice, including wearing a face covering in our buildings, and encourage others to do the same.

While public health legislation allows those involved in legal proceedings to come out of self-isolation when necessary, we’d ask that anyone who develops symptoms, has a positive PCR or lateral flow test, or is required to self-isolate should not attend our buildings. Anyone in this situation should speak with the court or tribunal who will consider and decide on appropriate arrangements.

We continue to recommend anyone attending our buildings to take regular lateral flow tests, unless you have COVID symptoms, in which case you need to isolate and take a PCR test. Please note changes in the isolation requirements regarding the results of PCR tests.

You can find all our COVID guidance for attending a court or tribunal on our website. We are all working hard to keep all our court users safe, and if you have any feedback, we’ve published an escalation route for professional court users if you have any concerns – we want to hear from you.

I know we are all looking forward to a time when such restrictions will be unnecessary. In the meantime, I want to thank you for your continued support and co-operation in keeping yourselves and others using our courts and tribunals safe.

Regards

Paul

 

Paul Harris (he/him)

Operations Director

Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service

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