DAC Beachcroft LLP remains ‘at the forefront of defendant clinical negligence litigation’ through a combination of its capacities to handle the full range of the most complex claims and its particular strengths in group litigation and all issues relating to vaginal mesh. The Leeds-based practice is co-headed by Emily Senior, who is well regarded for her work relating to maternity incidents and has been active in relation to NHSR’s Early Notification Scheme, and Joanne Neale, whose focus is on birth injury and cerebral palsy cases, besides notable work on prosthetics. David Roberts is another notable team member, and acts across birth injury, spinal injury, and fatal accident claims.
Clinical negligence: defendant in Yorkshire And The Humber
DAC Beachcroft LLP
Practice head(s):
Joanne Neale; Emily Senior
Other key lawyers:
David Roberts
Testimonials
‘Quite simply, at the forefront of defendant clinical negligence litigation.’
‘Slick operators with a wealth of experience and knowledge.’
‘Emily Senior is excellent: thorough, clever and lovely to work with.’
Key clients
NHS Resolution
MDU and Dental Defence Union Ltd
NHS England
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
The Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Doncaster & Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust
Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Sheffield Children’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust
York Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
NHS Digital
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust
Northern Lincolnshire & Goole NHS Trust
Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust
Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust
Work highlights
- Acting on behalf of NHS Resolution and all NHS Trusts nationally in respect of all clinical negligence claims relating to vaginal mesh.
- Acting on behalf of NHS Resolution and various Yorkshire-based Trusts on counter-fraud initiatives aimed at tackling dishonest claims for compensation.
- Advising NHS Resolution on the development of its Early Notification Scheme.
Capsticks LLP
Capsticks LLP has an established presence in representing major public sector clients, with the team having recently been active in relation to a number of major inquests. The firm continues to innovate, developing key capacities through associate Lucy Harding’s involvement in NHSR’s Early Notification Scheme and Keith Blundred’s leading work on Covid-related claims. Philip Hatherall heads up the practice, and brings a specialism in group litigation to the team. Other lawyers of note include Ian Cooper, who takes the lead on private healthcare issues; Adam Hartrick, who has a focus on issues relating to mental capacity; and Dominic Ip, who works on birth injury, wrongful birth, and neurological injury claims.
Practice head(s):
Philip Hatherall
Other key lawyers:
Lucy Harding; Adam Hartrick; Ian Cooper; Dominic Ip; Keith Blundred; Ruth Day
Testimonials
‘The two individuals who stand out in Leeds are Dominic Ip and Ruth Day. Most recently, I have worked with Ruth Day on a difficult but important issue to the indemnifier of clinical negligence claims. At short notice she dealt with the necessary liaison and interaction with the claimant’s team and the court will true aplomb.’
‘Very experienced team with strength in depth.’
‘Ruth Day is superb: great with clients, excellent judgment, good knowledge of law and applies it to good tactical effect.’
‘Dominic Ip and Keith Blundred are excellent partners.’
‘I find them efficient, experienced and easy to work with.’
‘Great experience in the field of clinical negligence, good relationships with their clients, and good communication with experts and clinicians. Ruth Day is extremely experienced and easy to work with.’
‘The firm has a unique focus on providing a full spectrum service to providers and regulators in the health and social care sphere.’
‘Philip Hatherall has outstanding experience in dealing with sensitive claims arising out of non-recent mistreatment and abuse of patients in clinical settings. He is good strategist, able to steer a course through arduous negotiations to the desired outcome.’
Key clients
NHS Resolution
Bolton NHS Foundation Trust
Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Northern Lincolnshire & Goole NHS Foundation Trust
Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust
North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Hull University Teaching Hospital NHS Trust
Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust
Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Ramsay Healthcare
Royal Brompton and Harefield NHS Foundation Trust
Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust
South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust
South East London CCG
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust
East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Fairfield Independent Hospital
Hertfordshire Community NHS Trust
Hertfordshire Partnership University Foundation Trust
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
London Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Milton Keynes University Hospitals NHS Trust
North Middlesex Hospital NHS Trust
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust
Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust
Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust
Chelsea and Westminster Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Croydon Health Services NHS Trust
James Paget University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust
Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust
London North West University Healthcare NHS Trust
Work highlights
- Represented an NHS Trust in a multi-million pound claim relating to a baby with brain damage.
- Represented NHS Resolution in a claim based on alleged delay in diagnosing and treating cauda equina syndrome.
- Acted for NHS Resolution under its flagship Early Notification Scheme for birth injury claims.
CMS
CMS works on a national level with leading medical defence organisations; the Sheffield-based practice has extensive experience handling the scope of complex, high-value, and sensitive mandates. The team can leverage the broader resources of the wider firm, with proven capabilities in cases that intersect with product liability, employment, and jurisdictional issues. The team is led by national head Yvonne Screene with support from Sheffield-based of counsel Kate Holbrook, who brings her experience working with multi-defendant clinical negligence claims concerning GPs, dentists, and private consultants to the group.
Practice head(s):
Yvonne Screene
Other key lawyers:
Kate Holbrook
Testimonials
‘The team provides a high standard of service for claims made against doctors.’
‘The team has experience in depth of handling high-value claims, inquests and inquiries.’
‘Kate Holbrook stands out as providing partner-level service on complex claims.’
Hill Dickinson LLP
Hill Dickinson LLP acts primarily for NHSR and MPS, operating as a national practice to meet the geographical footprint of these core clients, but also developing a growing number of independent sector and primary care clients. The team has broad capabilities, but a particular specialism in claims arising from gender reassignment and litigation in the aesthetic sector. Joanne Hughes leads work on NHSR GP claims, splitting her time between Leeds and Liverpool as do other notable members of the team Andrew Craggs, who oversees health litigation work, and director Nina Sahu and associate Kelly Stant, who both handle most of the dental caseload.
Practice head(s):
Joanne Hughes
Other key lawyers:
Andrew Craggs; Nina Sahu; Kelly Stant
Testimonials
‘This is a real team of go-getters. Any instructions that come from them are considered, meticulous and have great analysis.’
‘Joanne Hughes and Nina Sahu are exceptional.’
‘The team is highly regarded and benefits from a number of extremely tenacious individuals at partner and associate level who are determined to achieve the best outcome for the client.’
Key clients
Dental Protection
NHS Resolution