Transparent triage policies during the COVID-19 pandemic: a critical part of medico-legal risk management for clinicians

Article

Close, Eliana, Willmott, Lindy, Cockburn, Tina, Young, Simon, Cairns, Will and White, Ben P.. 2021. "Transparent triage policies during the COVID-19 pandemic: a critical part of medico-legal risk management for clinicians." Medical Journal of Australia. 215 (2), pp. 71-74.e1. https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.51079
Article Title

Transparent triage policies during the COVID-19 pandemic: a critical part of medico-legal risk management for clinicians

ERA Journal ID15323
Article CategoryArticle
AuthorsClose, Eliana (Author), Willmott, Lindy (Author), Cockburn, Tina (Author), Young, Simon (Author), Cairns, Will (Author) and White, Ben P. (Author)
Journal TitleMedical Journal of Australia
Journal Citation215 (2), pp. 71-74.e1
Number of Pages5
Year2021
PublisherJohn Wiley & Sons
Place of PublicationAustralia
ISSN0025-729X
1326-5377
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.51079
Web Address (URL)https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.5694/mja2.51079
Abstract

This article addresses the legal status of policy documents relied on by clinicians making resource allocation decisions in the context of public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic. A lack of clear state-supported guidelines elevates risks for clinicians for the consequences of decisions that they have a professional duty to make in the interests of their community. The article argues that transparent triage policies are critical from a legal, as well as an ethical perspective.

KeywordsAustralia; COVID-19; Guidelines as Topic; Health Personnel; Health Policy; Humans; Pandemics; Risk Management; Triage
Contains Sensitive ContentDoes not contain sensitive content
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020420306. Health care administration
480605. Tort law
480701. Administrative law
Public Notes

File reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher/author.

Byline AffiliationsQueensland University of Technology
Centre for Heritage and Culture
James Cook University
Institution of OriginUniversity of Southern Queensland
Permalink -

https://research.usq.edu.au/item/q6w0q/transparent-triage-policies-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-a-critical-part-of-medico-legal-risk-management-for-clinicians

Log in to edit

Download files

Submitted Version
MJA_COVID-19 Triage Policies_Revision_11 March 2021 corrected resubmission.pdf
File access level: Anyone

  • 101
    total views
  • 99
    total downloads
  • 3
    views this month
  • 8
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

'Who Built This Fence?': Regenerating Faculty Landscapes for Lasting Education Reform
Young, Simon and Smith, Kirstie. 2025. "'Who Built This Fence?': Regenerating Faculty Landscapes for Lasting Education Reform." Watson, Nicole and Douglas, Heather (ed.) Legal Education through an Indigenous Lens: Decolonising the Law School. United States. Routledge. pp. 71-86
Integrating Sustainable Development Goals in the Law Curriculum: Legal Education for "People, Planet and Prosperity"
Karim, Md Saiful, Deane, Felicity, Arif, Abdullah Al, Garwood-Gowers, Andrew, Humphries, Fran, Uddin, Md Mahatab, Akhtar-Khavari, Afshin, Maguire, Rowena, Lewis, Bridget, Cradduck, Lucy, Robb, Lachlan, Cockburn, Tina, Purser, Kelly, Boyle, Sam, Matthew, Anne, Wang, Brydon and Deagon, Alex. 2024. "Integrating Sustainable Development Goals in the Law Curriculum: Legal Education for "People, Planet and Prosperity"." Belmont Law Review. 12 (1), pp. 196-231.
Seven Structural Changes to help bring Indigenous Perspectives into Curricula
Smith, Kirstie and Young, Simon. 2024. "Seven Structural Changes to help bring Indigenous Perspectives into Curricula." Times Higher Education (THE).
Swanbank Power Station (former) CMP: A preliminary Conservation Management Plan prepared for CleanCo Queensland Ltd for the Swanbank Clean Energy Hub
Hill, Susan, Pocock, Celmara, Batorowicz, Beata, Gharineiat, Zahra and Young, Simon. 2024. Swanbank Power Station (former) CMP: A preliminary Conservation Management Plan prepared for CleanCo Queensland Ltd for the Swanbank Clean Energy Hub. Australia. University of Southern Queensland. https://doi.org/10.26192/z8819
'For Our Elders': An Australian First Nations Elders of Ipswich Project
Davidson-Fewquandie, Carla Carla, Collins, Rachael, Best, Odette, Young, Simon, Smith, Kirstie, Castro, Jason and Batorowicz, Beata. 2024. 'For Our Elders': An Australian First Nations Elders of Ipswich Project. Ipswich, Australia 02 - 09 Jul 2023
Indigenous Rights in Freshwater: Mapping the Contested Space in Australia, New Zealand and Canada
Young, Simon, Down, Sarah and Mascher, Sharon. 2023. "Indigenous Rights in Freshwater: Mapping the Contested Space in Australia, New Zealand and Canada." Environmental and Planning Law Journal. 39 (3), pp. 276-301.
Community Knowledge of Law on End-of-life Decision-making: An Australian Telephone Survey
Tilse, Cheryle, Wilson, Jill, White, Ben, Willmott, Lindy, Lawson, Deborah, Dunn, Jeffrey, Aitken, Joanne F., Pearce, Angela and Ferguson, Michele. 2019. "Community Knowledge of Law on End-of-life Decision-making: An Australian Telephone Survey." Journal of Law and Medicine. 27 (2), pp. 399-414.
Exploring Risk, Antecedents and Human Costs of Living with a Retained Surgical Item: A Narrative Synthesis of Australian Case Law 1981–2018
Osborne, Sonya R., Cockburn, Tina and Davis, Juliet. 2021. "Exploring Risk, Antecedents and Human Costs of Living with a Retained Surgical Item: A Narrative Synthesis of Australian Case Law 1981–2018." Journal of Multidisciplinary Healthcare. 14, pp. 2397-2413. https://doi.org/10.2147/JMDH.S316166
The Blue Sky Effect: a repatriation of judicial review or a search for flexibility?
Young, Simon. 2020. "The Blue Sky Effect: a repatriation of judicial review or a search for flexibility?" Australian Journal of Administrative Law. 27 (3), pp. 165-179.
Commentary: members of the Yorta Yorta Aboriginal Community v Victoria (2002) 214 CLR 422
Young, Simon. 2021. "Commentary: members of the Yorta Yorta Aboriginal Community v Victoria (2002) 214 CLR 422." Watson, Nicole and Douglas, Heather (ed.) Indigenous Legal Judgments: Bringing Indigenous Voices into Judicial Decision Making. United Kingdom. Routledge. pp. 92-111
Exploring risk, antecedents and human costs of living with a retained surgical item: A narrative synthesis of Australian case law 1981–2018
Osborne, Sonya, Cockburn, Tina and Davis, Juliet. 2022. "Exploring risk, antecedents and human costs of living with a retained surgical item: A narrative synthesis of Australian case law 1981–2018." Journal of Perioperative Nursing. 35 (2), pp. e-49-e-65. https://doi.org/10.26550/2209-1092.1202
Legal challenges to ICU triage decisions in the COVID-19 pandemic: How effectively does the law regulate bedside rationing decisions in Australia?
Close, Eliana, Young, Simon, Cockburn, Tina, Willmott, Lindy and White, Ben P.. 2021. "Legal challenges to ICU triage decisions in the COVID-19 pandemic: How effectively does the law regulate bedside rationing decisions in Australia?" University of New South Wales Law Journal. 44 (1), pp. 9-59. https://doi.org/10.53637/FSJG1698
If COVID hospitalisations increase, it’s still not clear how patients will be prioritised for ICU beds
Close, Eliana, White, Ben, Willmott, Lindy, Young, Simon, Cockburn, Tina and Cairns, Will. 2021. "If COVID hospitalisations increase, it’s still not clear how patients will be prioritised for ICU beds." The Conversation.
The 'Blue Sky effect': a repatriation of judicial review grounds or a search for flexibility?
Young, Simon. 2020. "The 'Blue Sky effect': a repatriation of judicial review grounds or a search for flexibility?" AIAL Forum. 2020 (98), pp. 54-69.
Constitutional promises of Indigenous recognition: Canada, Vanuatu and the challenges of pluralism
Corrin, Jennifer and Young, Simon. 2019. "Constitutional promises of Indigenous recognition: Canada, Vanuatu and the challenges of pluralism." Common Law World Review. 48 (4), pp. 233-265. https://doi.org/10.1177/1473779519891623
Retained Surgical Items: Lessons from Australian Case Law of Items Unintentionally Left Behind in Patients after Surgery
Cockburn, Tina, Davis, Juliet and Osborne, Sonya. 2019. "Retained Surgical Items: Lessons from Australian Case Law of Items Unintentionally Left Behind in Patients after Surgery." Journal of Law and Medicine. 26 (4), pp. 841-848.
The increments of justice: exploring the outer reach of Akiba's edge towards native title 'ownership'
Young, Simon. 2019. "The increments of justice: exploring the outer reach of Akiba's edge towards native title 'ownership'." University of New South Wales Law Journal. 42 (3), pp. 825-868. https://doi.org/10.53637/PZOJ4201
'The difficulties of communication encountered by Indigenous peoples’: moving beyond Indigenous deficit in the model admission rules for legal practitioners
Burns, Marcelle, Young, Simon and Nielsen, Jennifer. 2018. "'The difficulties of communication encountered by Indigenous peoples’: moving beyond Indigenous deficit in the model admission rules for legal practitioners." Legal Education Review. 28 (2), pp. 1-27.
The evolution of bias: spectrums, species and the weary lay observer
Young, Simon. 2017. "The evolution of bias: spectrums, species and the weary lay observer." Melbourne University Law Review. 41 (2), pp. 928-956.
Community knowledge of law at the end of life: Availability and accessibility of web-based resources
White, Ben, Willmott, Lindy, Tilse, Cheryl, Wilson, Jill, Lawson, Deborah, Pearce, Angela, Dunn Jeffrey, Aitken, Joanne F., Feeney, Rachel and Jowett, Stephanie. 2018. "Community knowledge of law at the end of life: Availability and accessibility of web-based resources." Australian Health Review. 42 (3), pp. 266-271. https://doi.org/10.1071/AH16234
From the bike to the bus: the Noongar Native Title settlement
Young, Simon. 2013. "From the bike to the bus: the Noongar Native Title settlement." Native Title Newsletter.
The troubled sequel: Canadian aboriginal title revisited in the BC Court of Appeal
Young, Simon. 2012. "The troubled sequel: Canadian aboriginal title revisited in the BC Court of Appeal." Australian Property Law Bulletin. 26 (10), pp. 147-150.
Rights-based 'recognition': the Canadian experience
Mascher, Sharon and Young, Simon. 2016. "Rights-based 'recognition': the Canadian experience." Young, Simon, Nielsen, Jennifer and Patrick, Jeremy (ed.) Constitutional recognition of first peoples in Australia - theories and comparative perspectives. Leichhardt, NSW, Australia. Federation Press. pp. 176-205
Synergy or skirmish? The collaboration of law and anthropology
Young, Simon. 2016. "Synergy or skirmish? The collaboration of law and anthropology." Bright, Susan and Blandy, Sarah (ed.) Researching property law. London, United Kingdom. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 145-163
A climate for change? The 2009 Native Title report
Young, Simon. 2010. "A climate for change? The 2009 Native Title report." Indigenous Law Bulletin. 7 (18), pp. 20-24.
Privative clauses: politics, legality and the constitutional dimension
Young, Simon. 2014. "Privative clauses: politics, legality and the constitutional dimension." Groves, Matthew (ed.) Modern administrative law in Australia: concepts and context. Port Melbourne. Cambridge University Press. pp. 276-297
Law and anthropology: the unhappy marriage?
Young, Simon. 2014. "Law and anthropology: the unhappy marriage?" Property Law Review. 2014 (3), pp. 236-246.
The trouble with tradition: native title and cultural change
Young, Simon. 2008. The trouble with tradition: native title and cultural change. Sydney, Australia. Federation Press.
Administrative law in Australia
Lane, W. B. and Young, Simon. 2007. Administrative law in Australia. Sydney, Australia. Lawbook Co..
Cultural timelessness and colonial tethers: Australian native title in historical and comparative perspective
Young, Simon. 2008. "Cultural timelessness and colonial tethers: Australian native title in historical and comparative perspective." Australian Indigenous Law Review. 12, pp. 60-68.
Law and custom - 'Tradition': the assembly of a legal microscope [submitted to Australian Law Reform Commission]
Young, Simon. 2009. Law and custom - 'Tradition': the assembly of a legal microscope [submitted to Australian Law Reform Commission]. Unpublished.
Native title in Canada and Australia post Tsilhqot'in: shared thinking or ships in the night?
Young, Simon. 2009. "Native title in Canada and Australia post Tsilhqot'in: shared thinking or ships in the night?" Land, Rights, Laws: Issues of Native Title. 4 (2), pp. 1-16.
Probing the frontiers of administrative law
Johnston, Peter, Young, Simon, Hooker, Richard and Pontre, Tom. 2011. "Probing the frontiers of administrative law." ALIAL Forum. 67, pp. 1-34.
An elegant convergence? The constitutional entrenchment of 'jurisdictional error' review in Australia
Young, Simon and Murray, Sarah. 2011. "An elegant convergence? The constitutional entrenchment of 'jurisdictional error' review in Australia." Oxford University Commonwealth Law Journal. 11 (2), pp. 117-142.
Tides of history and jurisprudential gulfs: Native title proof and the Noongar Western Australia claim
Young, Simon. 2010. "Tides of history and jurisprudential gulfs: Native title proof and the Noongar Western Australia claim." Indigenous Law Journal. 8 (1), pp. 95-120.
One step forward and one step back: the Noongar South-West Native Title Claim
Young, Simon. 2008. "One step forward and one step back: the Noongar South-West Native Title Claim." Australian Property Law Bulletin. 23 (2), pp. 14-17.