Different focus
Well, these are interesting times, are they not? I am finding the time to focus on family refreshing and enlivening - how about you? I know many of us are using this space to reflect on priorities and how to manage those priorities both in and out of this current emergency state.
It is easy to live life at a distance, reading the news but not necessarily appreciating the effect of the events being recorded on our own reality. So, when did you feel the effect of the epidemic?
For me it was a couple of weeks ago when preparing for a 5 day hearing at the HPCPC. I was marshalling arguments for what was a fairly rare point, an application to have a fitness to practice hearing, where the allegations were based on conduct, moved to be heard instead by the Health Committee. Moving the hearing would mean that the allegations would be heard in a much softer setting, with no chance of strike off in the worst case.
As I made my preparations, I thought about my journey to the HCPC and the fact that my journey usually involved taking the tube from Kings Cross station to Kennington, and the thought of taking the packed morning tube did not appeal one bit. In the end, I took taxis to and from Kennington and the feeling of trepidation that I had in the pit of my stomach whilst travelling did not abate until I was safely back in my car in Cambridge.
But there was more. Our application on the Monday was not successful and so the hearing was to start proper on the Tuesday. However, my client messaged me on the Monday night to say that their child had returned from school with a fever and so the family needed to self isolate. Two things occurred to me - one, the hearing would have to be adjourned on my application, as my client would not be able to adequately participate in the hearing, and two, I had sat in close proximity to my client for a number of hours on the Monday*.
So, I made the application to adjourn successfully and made my way swiftly out of London. I think the panel were secretly relieved to have the hearing put off and in fact on the Wednesday or Thursday, the HCPC cancelled all face to face hearings. I expected and still expect that to be my last physical attendance at a hearing for a number of months, however there will still be remote hearings by phone or video and in fact I did an interim order hearing last week by video. In the meantime though there is plenty of time for reflection on what can be improved in one's life, both personally and professionally. I hope you can take the same opportunity - and while you are doing so, please stay safe and healthy.
* Incidentally, I believe I have already had this virus, in January, when I suffered the worst headache and terrible fever for 3 days. I'm looking forward to taking the antibody test when it arrives.
