Your challenges
The regulatory challenges facing the healthcare sector have got tougher and tougher over recent years. High profile cases, such as Mid Staffordshire and Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells, pile on the pressure for you to ensure the safety of your patients, staff and visitors. The police and Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are now investigating incidents that a few years ago would have been seen as outside of their remit. The new statutory offence of Corporate Manslaughter has upped the stakes enormously.
Achieving your ambitions
When the worst happens we make sure that you manage the fall out in the best possible way. Our defence lawyers are highly experienced in dealing with the enforcing authorities such as the police and HSE from the day of an incident, through an investigation, and where charges are brought, through the court process. Not only can we ensure that you are supported and protected from the outset, but we can help you move forward in a constructive and beneficial way.
The team can also help you with the strategic management of your organisation, helping you to develop effective risk assurance frameworks and polices that actually achieve their objective.
The strength you need
Our health and safety team has extensive experience of supporting and advising health clients through criminal investigations. We specialise in helping you in the immediate aftermath of serious incidents and can help guide you through the maze of parallel processes that can follow.
The team advises organisations on health and safety across a variety of industry sectors including construction, education and local authorities, but we have a real in-depth knowledge of health – both in the NHS and private sector. We defend and advise our clients facing investigations and proceedings for corporate manslaughter, health and safety enforcement, coroner’s inquests and public enquiries. Examples of cases over the last ten years include:
- Supporting an NHS trust through an investigation and prosecution following the death of a service user after falling from a hoist
- Representing a large acute trust during a police manslaughter investigation into the death of a patient
- Several HSE investigations into window safety in healthcare premises following falls from upper storey windows
- Advising private healthcare providers during police investigations concerning alleged ill treatment or wilful neglect of patients without capacity
- Dealing with the investigation surrounding the collapse of an operating table during open heart surgery, following which the patient died
- Representing an NHS trust in connection with incidents involving violent patients attacking staff
- Actively supporting NHS clients with their risk management arrangements and policy development
- Undertaking strategic governance reviews and audits of health and safety compliance.
Lawyers you can trust
The Legal 500 directory regards us as a first tier firm for health and safety. They state that the practice is “’responsive, practical and client-focused’ and gives ‘good, clear, robust advice’ on investigations ranging from noise complaints to fatal accidents. Policy advice is greatly valued by corporate clients.”
Client’s tell us that they really value the “… first class service” the team provides and that the support they have received ”… has been excellent”.