Face to face hearings suspended in Mental Health Hospitals and Trusts not compliant with minimum safety standards

His Majesty’s Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) has suspended face to face hearings at some Mental Health Hospitals and Trusts, citing “national security concerns”.

HMCTS has been reviewing safety measures across the courts and tribunals estate and where judicial hearings take place.

The service said: “HMCTS has written to some 820+ Mental Health hearing venues asking them to confirm that the rooms we use on their premises comply with the minimum safety and security requirements and published guidance for tribunal hearings.”

While the survey is ongoing, HMCTS has suspended face to face hearings at the venues not compliant with minimum safety standards, and at the venues who have not replied to confirm this.

At venues where the safety of panel members has not been confirmed, cases will be listed as ‘Video Hearing Only’.

This will be applicable unless there is a “particular medical or other reason” that the patient cannot have a VH hearing, “in which case the representative should apply and the matter will be referred to a DTJ [District Tribunal Judge] to give listing directions”, HMCTS revealed.

In those venues that are compliant, patients shall continue to be able to opt for face to face or video hearings.

The list will be added to by HMCTS regularly “once safety and security standards have been met”.

Security concerns were also raised last year when a family court judge was attacked in Milton Keynes County Court during a hearing.

The Family Law Bar Association (FLBA) called for “robust and proper security for all court users”, noting that it is currently rare to have security in court.

Lottie Winson