A UK-based solicitor blogging about defending professionals and regulatory law, mainly in the healthcare sector
I was delighted to be asked to collaborate with Dr Thomas Hewson, Dr Adeola Akinola and Mr Nathan Randles on presenting ‘The audio and visual recording of mental health consultations by patients – clinical, ethical,…
A concerning study reported in today’s Guardian newspaper indicates that “one in four NHS doctors is tired to the point of impairment”. This study was of a relatively small sample size (532 respondents out of just…
As time goes on, I’m seeing more fitness to practise cases arising from COVID19-related activities. My colleagues and I have previously posted about the Irish GP interim suspended after describing COVID-19 as a hoax and the first…
There’s an interesting new High Court decision about how regulators plead fitness to practise (“FtP”) allegations against healthcare professionals suspected of sexually motivated conduct. For many years now, such allegations have generally been pleaded in…
Few will be unfamiliar with the case of breast surgeon Ian Paterson who, in 2017, was convicted of both wounding with intent and unlawful wounding of 10 patients, then sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment. This…
A very interesting (but concerning) study has been published in this month’s BMJ Open – ‘Does occupational distress raise the risk of alcohol use, binge-eating, ill health and sleep problems among medical doctors? A UK cross-sectional…
On 18 April 2019, the General Medical Council (“GMC”) announced the implementation of a new process to reduce the number of full fitness to practise investigations it undertakes into one-off mistakes by doctors – what…
The new Judgment of North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust v Dr Andrew Gregg may be of significant assistance to registrants who find themselves interim suspended by their regulatory body during a fitness to practise…
The Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (“HSIB”) is a unique organisation amongst healthcare systems worldwide and came into existence on 1 April 2017. Currently operating under the auspices of NHS Improvement, HSIB both guides and supports…
At this time of year I frequently get asked to assist doctors in relation to the ARCP, or Annual Review of Competence Progression, process – most commonly doctors wishing to appeal negative ARCP outcomes. Below…
