NHS acute trusts
Healthcare is always at the forefront of society’s big issues; when the healthcare system faces challenges, this pervades all aspects of the community. We have a unique understanding of the breadth of these challenges and collaborate with NHS acute trusts across the country providing holistic advice. We work as extensions of the in-house teams we support, and our specialist lawyers take great pride in contributing towards the effective running of NHS acute trusts, bringing a down-to-earth approach that finds pragmatic and effective solutions.
We have wide-ranging expertise that enables us to provide top to bottom support from structural NHS governance to commercial activity, the workforce, the patients, the buildings they all step in to and new technologies to enhance service.
In particular, we provide support to NHS acute trust boards regarding policy decisions and contractual matters, assist safeguarding, risk and legal teams with inquests, clinical negligence, Court of Protection proceedings, mental health and mental capacity issues, guide HR departments in respect of employment issues and work with trusts to expand their property portfolios.
NHS acute trusts across the country receive bespoke support directed to their particular societal and economic situation but we also seek to bring the NHS community together ensuring collaboration and the sharing of insights between acute, mental health and community trusts as well as the wider healthcare system.
Key contacts
Carly Caton
Partner
Ed Pollard
Partner
Jacqui Atkinson
Head of Employment Healthcare
Testimonials
"Every member of team goes above and beyond to support us. Technically brilliant with a down to earth and easily understandable approach. Translates the legal speak into everyday language."
"I feel as though the team I work with are more like an extension of my own team, and whilst maintaining those professional boundaries, are still very approachable."
"The team are very approachable, and always give appropriate and relevant advice. There is a broad breadth of knowledge across the firm and open access to subject matter experts in specific areas. In particular the court of protection and healthcare team have a wealth of knowledge."
Latest insights and events
Opinion
The NHS pay deal – are all Agenda for Change staff eligible?
Opinion
Further three-day junior doctors strike announced for June
Online Event
Mock Inquest Training Sessions
Opinion
NHS pay deal – is this the end of the dispute?
Opinion
Plans to amend NHS pension rules to bolster NHS workforce approved by government
Opinion
Increase to 20 hour limit on supplementary employment for Health and Care Worker visa holders
Article
Mental health, eating disorders and placement of young people
Opinion
Consultation launched on plans to amend NHS pension rules to bolster NHS workforce
Legal Update - Shared Insights
Shared Insights: Prolonged disorders of consciousness
Published Article
How AI and technology can transform the healthcare sector
On-Demand
Insights from the Chief Coroner by His Honour Judge Thomas Teague, KC
Opinion
BMA advises consultants not to accept less than the BMA minimum rate card for extra-contractual work
The BMA is advising all NHS / HSCNI consultants to ensure extra-contractual work is paid at the BMA minimum recommended rate and to decline offers of extra-contractual work that doesn't value them appropriately.
On-Demand
Leadership and lessons learnt during the Pandemic by Professor Jonathan Van-Tam
Legal Update - Shared Insights
Shared Insights: The Patient Safety Incident Response Framework
Opinion
NHS England – Updated Transaction Guidance
NHS England has published (October 2022) new guidance - Assuring and supporting complex change: Statutory transactions, including mergers and acquisitions.
Opinion
NHS England – Assuring and supporting complex change
NHS England has issued an updated (publication 11 October 2022) suite of Complex Change guidance about how it will assure and support proposals for complex change that are reportable to it. New and (where it is still in force) existing Complex Change guidance are as follows.
Guide
Highlights from the Health and Care Connect Conference
Legal Update - Shared Insights
Shared Insights: Focus on emergency medicine
In our latest Shared Insights session, Focus on Emergency Medicine, chaired by Jennifer Fagin and Amelia Newbold, we were pleased to be joined by: Dr Alex Crowe, Deputy Director Incentive Schemes & Academic Partnerships, NHS Resolution and Consultant Nephrologist and Miss Susie Hewitt MBE, Consultant in Emergency Medicine, University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust.
Legal Update
Integrated Care Boards and preventing NHS fraud – what you need to know and how to achieve it
On 7 July this year, NHS England published its statutory guidance for Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and with it set out the ICBs’ role and responsibilities and how they should collaborate, interact and carry out their anti-fraud, bribery and corruption functions in concert with NHS England.
On-Demand
ICS Forum webinar series: What’s new for ICSs?
Presented by Gerard Hanratty, this on-demand webinar looks into the key new functions for Integrated Care Systems under the new Health & Care Act 2022. It provides a useful update on what is new, how it may be interpreted and what issues may arise.
Legal Update
Health & Care Matters newsletter - June 2022
Welcome to our latest health newsletter for Summer 2022. We have a packed edition which includes fascinating insights from clients and our own lawyers into the potential impact of the Health and Care Act 2022 and associated DHSC integration policy.
Opinion - Maternity services
The impact of COVID-19 on maternal deaths
HSIB published its report on Maternal deaths during the first wave of COVID-19. The report takes a closer look at the impact that COVID-19 had during the initial period of March to May 2020.
Legal Update
The Role of SIAMs in an ICS
As times have changed, organisations have fallen in and out of love with the role of the outsourced SIAM provider versus the organisation fulfilling that role. It is a complex role and even more so in Government organisations, some with vast IT systems processing gigantic amounts of data with complex governance structures and models.
Legal Update
Partnerships and collaborations
The Health and Care Act 2022 (HCA) received royal assent on 28 April 2022. Out goes much of the framework for a managed competitive market economy. In come new statutory bodies - a revamped NHS England and all-new NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to take over commissioning (from 1 July 2022) from CCGs and also (progressively) NHS England too.
Legal Update
Modern Slavery and the NHS – new challenges on the horizon for NHS bodies and their suppliers
According to a report published by the Financial Reporting Council in April, modern slavery generates an estimated US$150 billion annually and encompasses 40 million people in slavery globally.
Opinion
“MARSIPAN” Guidelines replaced with the Medical Emergencies in Eating Disorders Guidance
The Royal College of Psychiatrists has produced updated guidance to help frontline staff and clinicians identify and treat patients with eating disorders before the illness becomes a medical emergency.
Opinion
Learning from Emergency Medicine compensation claims
Every year a high number of patients attend Emergency Departments (EDs) in England, often presenting with complex and wide-ranging symptoms. Many of these challenges were explored in the Getting It Right First Time Emergency Medicine Report, published in 2021.
Legal Update
Diagnosis of Death in an Adult
We were very pleased to recently advise North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust (‘NWAFT’) in High Court, Inherent Jurisdiction proceedings regarding an application for a declaration by the court that a patient of NWAFT had sadly died and therefore it was proper for life supporting measures to be ceased.
Legal Update - Maternity services
The Ockenden Final Report – a blueprint for safe maternity care from ward to Board
The much anticipated final Ockenden report was published on 30 March 2020. The final report sets out the findings of the review into care provided to 1,486 families, and sets out a blueprint for safe maternity care.
Legal Update
Health & Care Matters newsletter - February 2022
Welcome to our first health newsletter of 2022.
Legal Update
Covid 19 public inquiry
The start of the public inquiry into Covid-19 in the UK has moved one step closer with the appointment on December 17 2021 of Baroness Heather Hallett to chair the inquiry. The inquiry was announced in May last year and is due to start in the spring of 2022.
Legal Update
NHS Foundation Trust Constitutions: five reasons why you should review your constitution
Based on our work with foundation trusts over the last 12 months we have identified 5 key situations in which a foundation trust may need to refresh its constitution
On-Demand
VCOD and healthcare workers – Getting ready to meet the requirement
We invite you to an on-demand webinar looking at the key legal and practical implications for healthcare employers arising from the NHS England VCOD Guidance and actions required in Phase 2 implementation stage.
Legal Update - Shared Insights
Shared Insights: Safeguarding Forum - Safe discharge and conveyance of patients
It is important to bear in mind the legal framework when planning discharge and conveyance plans but practicalities are also key.
Published Article
Care Quality Commission Strategy from 2021 – Ground for Optimism but Much Still to Learn
There is much still to learn about how the strategy will be implemented and those details will play a huge part in determining the final outcome. However, there are grounds for optimism.
On-Demand
Compulsory vaccinations for frontline healthcare workers: Getting ready to meet the requirement
An on-demand webinar for HR practitioners, looking at the legal and practical implications for NHS employers of the Government’s decision to mandate COVID-19 vaccination for frontline healthcare workers.
Legal Update
Health & Care Matters newsletter - November 2021
Welcome to our Health Newsletter focussing on Sustainability and timed to hit your inbox as we start to consider the outcomes from COP26.
Legal Update - Shared Insights
Shared Insights: Coroners’ Question Time, part 2
The panel of experienced Coroners gave an outline of the current backlog and the pandemic recovery plan implemented in their jurisdiction.
On-Demand
Liberty Protection Safeguards
The Liberty Protection Safeguards are due to be implemented in April 2022. Before this time there will need to be whole system change, training and implementation.
Legal Update - Shared Insights
Shared Insights: Mental health patients: learning from incidents and inquests
Our speakers looked at themes arising from inquests, learning from participating in RCAs, the clinician’s perspective and a difficult case study.