Health in North
DAC Beachcroft LLP
DAC Beachcroft LLP acts for NHS and private sector clients working in the health sector in range of matters, including those related to corporate, commercial, regulatory, employment and governance issues. The firm is known for combining insight into the NHS landscape and the challenges facing the independent health sector. Nigel Montgomery leads the national practice, while in Newcastle, healthcare regulatory specialist Gill Weatherill co-leads with Guy Bredenkamp, who has particular experience in advising NHS employers on employment matters.
Practice head(s):
Gill Weatherill; Guy Bredenkamp; Nigel Montgomery
Testimonials
‘The firm has subject knowledge in relation to Mental Health’
‘The team provides supportiveness, flexibility, a safe pair of hands and responsiveness’
‘Gill Weatherill, Jemma Gillson and Amy Fishburn are good team players’
Key clients
City Hospitals Sunderland NHS FT
Northumbria Healthcare NHS FT
North of England Commissioning Support Unit
North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust
NHS England
East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS FT
North West Boroughs NHS FT
York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
City Hospitals Independent Enterprises Ltd
North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust
NHS Improvement
Central North West London NHS Foundation Trust
Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Tees Esk and Wear Valley NHS Foundation Trust
Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust
NHS Northumberland Clinical Commissioning Group
The Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
QE Facilities Ltd
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Work highlights
- Provided information governance and contract advice to NHS Digital in relation to the new NHS App for English patients.
- Defence of an unfair dismissal and race discrimination claim from a doctor at City Hospitals Sunderland NHS FT.
- Concluded the successful defence of over 1600 equal pay claims over the course of more than 12 years.
- Advised Foundation Trusts in relation to a judicial review brought by Save South Tyneside Hospital campaign group against the service reconfiguration decisions of local CCGs.
- Instructed by the NHSR to act as lead on all vaginal mesh claims against the NHS in England relating to mesh products used in surgical management of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP).
Hempsons
Hempsons’ provides healthcare advisory and healthcare litigation teams for clients that include public and private healthcare organisations, charities and social enterprises. Corporate-commercial specialist Crispin Pettifer handles a range of contracts in health and social care contexts. He co-leads the practice with Deborah Ramshaw, who is an expert procurement lawyer focused on advising contracting authorities and bidders in various matters. Also notable in the team are Stephen Maratos, who specialises in claims litigation on behalf of NHS Trusts and clinicians, and Alison Oliver, who joined in 2019 from Ward Hadaway and bring expertise in GP and dental practice issues.
Practice head(s):
Crispin Pettifer; Deborah Ramshaw
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘One of the strongest teams dealing with NHS Trust work with a good connection in the North.’
‘Martyn Hughes is a very able solicitor with a calm approach to sensitive cases and perceptive judgment.’
Key clients
NHS England
Work highlights
- Represented NHS England in the relicensing process for the 15 national Academic Health Science Networks.
- Represented Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust (“TSD”) on all aspects of clients successful and timely competitive dialogue procurement process to appoint a strategic estates partner. Project value circa £100m.
Sintons LLP
Well regarded for its knowledge of the NHS and the healthcare sector, Sintons LLP also specialises in acting in a trusted advisor role to various trusts. Amanda Maskery leads the team and her expertise includes advising on corporate and commercial issues relating to governance, new model care structures and procurement.
Practice head(s):
Amanda Maskery
Key clients
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Harrogate and District FT
Gateshead Community Based Care
North East Ambulance NHS Foundation Trust
Lloyds Bank
Intrahealth
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Trust) and QE Facilities (QEF)
Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Trust)
Freeman Clinics Limited
Work highlights
- Advised The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Trust) in connection with a national procurement run by NHS England for the provision of genomic testing services through a single national testing network of 7 Genomic Laboratory Hubs (GLHs).
- Advised The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (Trust) in relation to the establishment and operation of the CEPA Biobank in Newcastle.
- Advised Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (Trust) (as provider) in relation to its contract with Stockton on Tees Borough Council for the provision of public health services as well as its sub-contracting arrangements with Family Action.
- Advised Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (Trust) in relation to the establishment of a private patient healthcare service arm known as Harrogate Harlow Private Healthcare Service.
- Advised Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust in relation to a loan from Newcastle City Council to fund the construction of a new staff car park at the Trust’s Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI) site in Newcastle’s city centre.
Ward Hadaway
Ward Hadaway provides support to healthcare organisations across the UK, specialising in a number of areas including devising anti-fraud initiatives for the NHS, establishing NHS Foundation Trust trading companies, childcare matters and procurement. The team is led by Jeffrey Keeble, who focuses on high-value birth injury claims; public sector expert Melanie Pears; Stuart Craig, who has experience acting for NHS Trusts; and Saji Bratch, who is particularly adept at advising public and private bodies on property transactions.
Practice head(s):
Jeffrey Keeble; Melanie Pears; Stuart Craig; Saji Bratch
Key clients
Connect Physical Health
North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
Tees Esk and Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
NHS Bexley CCG
NHS North Cumbria CCG
Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust
NHS Greenwich CCG
Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust
Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Work highlights
- Acted for Tees Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust (and a representative of the Trust who was a named individual to the proceedings) in defending Employment Tribunal a multi-day race discrimination, age discrimination and disability discrimination claim.
- Acted for Tees Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust in relation to offering employment to employees of Carillion who carried out essential work at one of its hospital sites via its wholly owned subsidiary company.
- Established a wholly owned trading company for North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust with bespoke articles of association which addressed lessons learned from first generation trading vehicles. Many decisions are reserved to the shareholder.
- Seconded commercial associates into NHS Business Services Authority to work alongside their team to ensure an essential procurement was conducted and concluded appropriately.
- Act for City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust on its procurement for its new Belmont Diagnostic and Treatment Centre facilities.