Atkins & Palmer has a robust business continuity plan to ensure that we can continue to maintain the same standards of service for our clients during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Our team is now working remotely; we were well prepared for this scenario as we run a paperless office with a case management system for our case files, which stores and backs up these files on secure servers. We occasionally store client documents and we hold original legal aid forms, which continue to be stored securely.
Our telephone and postal systems are already set up to allow our team to work remotely and you can contact us using our usual telephone numbers and email addresses.
We are no longer holding face to face meetings at our office to protect the health of our staff.
We are not undertaking face to face visits to clients in care homes, supported living placements and all other community placements but we are staying in contact with clients by telephone or video call. Many accommodation providers have already imposed restrictions on visitors in any event.
Court of Protection hearings will take place remotely by telephone or video (unless there is genuine urgency and the hearing cannot be conducted remotely). We will communicate with you ahead of any hearing to confirm the arrangements for the hearing.
We have taken the decision to not visit patients in mental health units for face to face meetings, to protect the health of our staff and those within the mental health units. Many units have imposed visiting restrictions in any event. However, it is fundamental that patients on mental health wards continue to have access to legal advice and we are taking instructions by telephone and communicating with clients by email where possible. First-tier Tribunal (Mental Health) hearings will be conducted by telephone. We will communicate with you ahead of any hearing to confirm the arrangements for the hearing.