Parliamentary Briefing - Coronavirus Bill 24 March 2020

The Scottish Parliament will debate the Coronavirus Bill on Tuesday 24 March 2020. This is the RCN's briefing to MSPs on the provisions of the Bill, outlining the RCN's position and concerns on the issues covered in the Bill.

The Coronavirus 2020 Bill is time limited to two years, enabling governments across the UK to enact or cease emergency powers when required. There must be full parliamentary scrutiny of their use at regular intervals. As soon as these powers are no longer needed, their use must be stopped with the advice of not only the Chief Medical Officers but also the Chief Nursing Officers of the four home countries. These temporary emergency measures must not set a precedent for what is accepted in normal conditions. Furthermore, powers included in this Bill must not be used to dilute standards or make changes to existing health and care regulations and standards which put nursing staff or patient care at risk.