Bevan Brittan LLP acts as a trusted advisor to a number of NHS providers, clinical commissioning groups, and independent health and social care organisations. The team, which is based in Bristol, covers the whole gamut of matters in this sector, from commissioning advice and joint ventures to governance and regulatory issues. Rosemary Jago and practice head Sharon Renouf are regularly involved in procurements for NHS clients, while David Owens focuses on governance and power matters as well as transactions and service developments. The independent health and social care group is led by Vincent Buscemi, and senior associate Anna Davies is recommended for her commissioner experience, particularly relating to personal health budgets, mental health commissioning, and NHS continuing health care.
Health in South West
Bevan Brittan LLP
Practice head(s):
Sharon Renouf
Other key lawyers:
Rosemary Jago; David Owens; Anna Davies; Vincent Buscemi; Hannah Taylor
Testimonials
‘Whoever I engage with within the team is always extremely approachable and very knowledgeable about their particular area of expertise. They are always ready with ideas and suggestions but are equally willing to listen to your ideas and then enhance them with partnership working. To me, it’s their partnership approach to problem solving that makes them standout.’
‘Rosemary Jago is exceptional with her client care and also with her understanding of the problems and issues we need to work together to resolve.’
Key clients
Dartford & Gravesham NHS Trust
Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Barts Health NHS Trust
NHS Property Services Limited
The Hillingdon Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
King Edward VII Hospital (KEVII)
Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust
Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Yeovil District Hospital NSH Foundation Trust
Independent Healthcare Providers Network Limited
North Bristol NHS Trust
Norfolk and Norwich NHS Foundation Trust
Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust
Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
East Kent Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust
Work highlights
- Acting for Barts Health NHS Trust in collaboration with Homerton University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust to deliver their combined pathology service requirements.
- Providing specialist healthcare regulatory and commercial advice and due diligence support to Lone Star Europe Acquisitions Limited on its £647m acquisition of McCarthy & Stone.
- Advising four of the eight phase 2 Trusts who are expected to deliver the first new £500m+ hospitals as part of Boris Johnson’s pledge to build 40 new hospitals by 2030.
DAC Beachcroft LLP
The advice delivered by DAC Beachcroft LLP is ‘always accompanied by well thought-through practical solutions‘, making it a go-to firm for clients in the health and social care sector. NHS and independent sector providers alike turn to the practice for advice spanning corporate, regulatory, governance and commercial matters, amongst others. Healthcare regulatory expert Corinne Slingo, employment specialist Rachel Roberts-Jenkins, and clinical risk heavyweight Hannah Volpe form part of the practice’s Bristol team. Emma-Jane Dalley joined the firm from a previous position at VWV in February 2022 and fields strong expertise in the charities sector.
Practice head(s):
Nigel Montgomery; Corinne Slingo; Rachel Roberts-Jenkins; Stephen Hocking; Stan Campbell; James Reed; Emma Jane-Dalley
Other key lawyers:
Hannah Volpe
Testimonials
‘True experts and leaders in their field. Their advice is always accompanied by well thought-through practical solutions, calmly making the seemingly unmanageable manageable.’
‘Corinne Slingo – supremely intelligent, hugely experienced and brilliantly pragmatic.’
‘DAC as a firm have a combination of exceptional knowledge, diverse skills and approachability that makes you want to instruct them. Once instructed you know you are in safe hands.’
Key clients
NHS Resolution
The Medical Defence Union
University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust
Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust
Gloucester Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Royal Devon & Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
North Bristol NHS Trust
Zurich Global Corporate
RSA
WR Berkley
Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
Bupa Dental
Enstar
Optegra UK
Priory
QBE
Beazley
Neon Renaissance Re
Bermuda Hospital Board
Newline
MS Amlin
Corvelia
Elysium Healthcare
Arag
Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
Work highlights
- Advising NHS England on the statutory inquiry into the Covid-19 pandemic.
- Advised Elysium on the property elements of their acquisition by Ramsay Health.
- Successfully defended a complex and sensitive HR claim for the South Central Ambulance NHS Trust against a backdrop of the #metoo profile, involving sexual harassment, disability, discrimination, and whistleblowing allegations.
Ashfords LLP
Led by Jocelyn Ormond and Ben Tarrant out of Bristol, the healthcare, digital health and life sciences practice at Ashfords LLP serves NHS as well as independent sector clients. ‘Able to provide broad support across all areas of need’, the team’s focus extends to social care provision and early-stage digital health matters alongside more traditional issues in the health sector. Vanessa James, an ‘outstanding partner’ with ‘excellent business acumen’, fields extensive experience in assisting clients with employment law and HR matters.
Practice head(s):
Jocelyn Ormond; Ben Tarrant
Other key lawyers:
Vanessa James
Testimonials
‘Wonderful team with lots of experience in their practice area. Very transparent and straight forward to work with, understood our needs and delivered in a fee conscious manner and excellent with communications/technology.’
‘The team are big enough to provide support but small enough that we get a personalized service.’
‘Jocelyn Ormond had an outstanding knowledge of the healthcare space, key operators, traps we should look out for, etc. He went well beyond his role as an attorney to introduce us to other service providers, helpful contacts, etc.’
‘The Ashfords team are able to provide broad support across all areas of need, providing support and timely advice to critical decisions.’
‘Jocelyn Ormond ability to rationalise the key objective, convey risk and advise on negotiation strategy is exemplary and clearly reflects positively on his team’s ability to provide further, detailed support.’
‘Ben Tarrant has taken the time to understand our business model and is therefore able to offer sound advice in a timely fashion.’
‘Experienced, knowledgeable, pragmatic and professional. Thoroughly well-versed in the sector, at least equal to a prestigious international firm’
‘Knowledgeable, sensible. Deliver well-considered views and advice appropriate to the client. Always available and very communicative.’
Key clients
Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust
Devon Partnership NHS Trust
CareTech
TLC Group
Compass Children’s Homes
Home Farm Trust
Silva Care
The Medical
eConsult Health
Birdie
Iksuda Therapeutics
Gaia Fertility
Holland & Barrett
Work highlights
- Advising eConsult Health on its acquisition of video consultation platform Q Doctor in a share-for-share exchange.
- Advising Compass Children’s Homes on the acquisition of 14 new sites for care provision and 14 leases for Compass own office requirements or for its educational function.
- Advising Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust on a range of employment, immigration and regulatory matters, including matters of strategic focus.
Burges Salmon LLP
Burges Salmon LLP‘s Bristol-based healthcare practice fields team of lawyers who ‘go above and beyond to assist their clients’. The firm acts for both public and private sector clients on a range of matters including M&A and contractual advice. Patrick Parkin is the key contact advising private sector providers and governmental authorities on commercial, regulatory, and procurement matters. Disputes in the healthcare sector are handled by Richard Binns.
Practice head(s):
Patrick Parkin
Other key lawyers:
Richard Binns
Testimonials
‘Really helpful, professional team that go above and beyond to assist their clients.’
Key clients
The Vaccine Taskforce
Spire Healthcare plc
DHSC
Guys and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
Optegra Eye Healthcare
Cambridge Perfusion LLP
Ludlow Street Healthcare/Ludlow Street Investment
GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance
Somerset Care
Porton Biopharma
Work highlights
- Advising the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strength (BEIS) in relation to a number of projects for the development and manufacture of vaccines and antibodies as part of the national effort to fight Covid-19.
- Advised Spire Healthcare on the competition law aspects of its £15.7 million acquisition of Claremont Private Hospital in Sheffield, acquiring an 87% stake.
- Advised Optegra Eye Healthcare on an agreement with Toukan Labs Openeyes for the provision of electronic patient records and associated design and development.
Lester Aldridge LLP
Lester Aldridge LLP‘s healthcare group is known for its strong regulatory practice, often acting for independent health care providers, and is praised for being ‘approachable, efficient and knowledgeable’. ‘Standout professional legal advisor’ Laura Guntrip leads the practice from Bournemouth with a particular focus on safeguarding issues, coroner’s inquests, criminal matters affecting care providers and due diligence. Also in Bournemouth, head of medical practices and professionals team Susan Cowan is regularly sought out for her expertise in GP partnership agreements and corporate structures. Bethan Dodd, based in Southampton, joined the firm in August 2021 from DR Solicitors and specialises in healthcare property matters.
Practice head(s):
Laura Guntrip
Other key lawyers:
Susan Cowan; Bethan Dodd
Testimonials
‘Bethan Dodd has outstanding experience in dealing with GP property matters. She is approachable, highly professional and explains complicated legal issues in laymen’s terms. She is always willing dedicate the extra mile for her clients.’
‘The team are very approachable, efficient and knowledgeable. They are very up-to-date in respect of sector knowledge, and apart from acting upon our instructions they take time to keep us updated on wider issues impacting upon our sector which is much appreciated and is an example of their collaborative approach.’
‘Laura Guntrip is a stand-out professional legal advisor. She is highly valued by our organisation and is our ‘go-to’ person for sector knowledge and advice.’
‘A quality, specialist team.’
‘Bethan Dodd offers sensible, pragmatic advice.’
‘Excellent specialist knowledge on issues affecting care homes.’
‘Laura Guntrip – She is calm, considered and provides insight on the key issues.’
‘Leicester Aldridge LLP is an amazing professional team, who always makes time providing a personalised service to their customers.’
Key clients
HC-One
Graham Care
Registered Nursing Homes Association
Hampshire Care Association
Colten Care
Kent Integrated Care Alliance
Work highlights
- Provided regulatory advice and undertook regulatory due diligence for a private equity fund on proposed purchase of a large national group of independent hospitals in a transaction valued at circa £770m.
- Represented a care provider in defending enforcement action by the Care Quality Commission, including responding to allegations relating to criminal offences and appealing a notice imposing conditions of registration, both with successful outcomes.
- Represented a large national provider of care homes for older people during a criminal investigation by CQC and interview under caution, resulting in no further action being taken.
Osborne Clarke LLP
Osborne Clarke LLP‘s life sciences and healthcare practice counts primarily private and third sector entities amongst its clients, for which it provides advice along the whole range of the healthcare market, taking ‘into account commercial factors, as well as legal ones, when structuring their advice'. Catherine Wolfenden leads the firm’s UK healthcare subsector out of Bristol, while London-based Will James heads the international life sciences and healthcare practice. Also in Bristol, Simon Hancock is regularly involved in project-related matters and Kate Davies specialises in public procurement.
Practice head(s):
Catherine Wolfenden; Will James
Other key lawyers:
Simon Hancock; Kate Davies
Testimonials
‘The practice has a really deep understanding of the public procurement regulations, and is able to translate this knowledge into practical commercial advice which has a real value.’
‘Catherine Wolfenden – very practical, provides no-nonsense advice. She seeks to get a deep understanding of your business so that her advice is relevant and appropriate.’
Key clients
Crisp Websites Limited (trading as Pestfix)
Gama Healthcare Limited
Nutricia Medical Limited
The Hospital Company (Oxford John Radcliffe) Limited
Cinapsis / Monmedical – NHS Wales
Lucid Group
Universal Health Services Inc
Grifols
Work highlights
- Acting for Pestfix in the high profile judicial review of the UK Government’s decision to award a number of valuable PPE contracts to suppliers in 2020 without competitive tenders.
- Acting as lead legal advisor for Gama Healthcare Limited, one of the largest suppliers of infection control products to the NHS in the UK.
- Advised the Hospital Company Limid on the market testing process under its hospital PFI project.
Browne Jacobson LLP
With offices in Exeter in addition to a presence in London, Manchester, Nottingham and Birmingham, Browne Jacobson LLP’s health practice supports clients on a national level and across the sector. Mark Barnett sports extensive expertise in defending clinical negligence claims, in particular against mental health providers, and is one of the key contacts of the Exeter-based team. Gerard Hanratty leads the nationwide health sector group out of Manchester.
Practice head(s):
Gerard Hanratty
Other key lawyers:
Mark Barnett
Testimonials
‘Mark Barnett is thoughtful and measured in the advice he gives and his time is held in high regard.’
‘Browne Jacobson are pragmatic and swift in providing advice on a range of healthcare matters, often at short notice and we have found them very supportive on all the occasions we have instructed them.’
‘Mark Barnett is our lead contact at Browne Jacobson. He is very approachable and and has a wide range of knowledge giving client’s an added benefit of instant advice when needed.’
Key clients
University Hospitals Bristol & Weston NHS Foundation Trust
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Cornwall Council
Somerset County Council
Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Devon Partnership NHS Trust
Torbay & South Devon NHS Foundation Trust
South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
NHS Kernow CCG
NHS Somerset CCG
NHS Dorset CCG
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
NHS Devon CCG
Dorset County Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
NHS Sussex Commissioners
Work highlights
Stephens Scown LLP
Focusing its advice on providers of healthcare service, Stephens Scown LLP‘s sector expertise extends to contentious, regulatory, and employment matters, amongst others. Helen Wallwork spearheads the Exeter-based team and combines experience in the healthcare market with extensive corporate and commercial knowledge. Laurie Trounce, who also leads the firm’s charities practice, is noted for her work on outsourcing, public procurement and joint ventures.
Practice head(s):
Helen Wallwork
Other key lawyers:
Laurie Trounce
Testimonials
‘The key element for us was their understanding and calm attitude to us as clients. The healthcare team walked us through the processes and gently kept us motivated and focused to achieve our end goal. They genuinely wanted us to achieve the best outcome and would explain the legal jargon in layman terms when necessary.’
‘Businesses, especially SMEs, need very capable hands in legal processes and the healthcare team at Stephens Scown have them in abundance!’
‘The healthcare team as a whole were a very focused team and that kept us focused during difficult times. There were times of humour when negotiations got tough and they would always relieve the pressure.’
Key clients
Holland & Barrett
Phoenix Learning and Care Group
Age UK
Kernow Health CIC
Cornwall Air Ambulance
Medic Malawi
CJ Medical Limited
Work highlights
- Advised CJ Medical Limited on the contractual terms with a customer, a non-profit academic medical centre, providing clinical and hospital care and research.
- Advising R. Callow and S. O’Neill on the sale of 100% of the entire issued share capital of UK Healthcare Group Limited.
VWV
Acting primarily for GP practices, VWV provides a large range of services to its clients including regulatory, employment and commercial matters. Primary care networks, GP mergers and GP federations are part of the portfolio that has kept the Bristol-based practice busy in recent times. Ben Willis is the key contact and combines expertise in the healthcare sector with a specialism regarding properties. Partnership agreements, disputes and contractual arrangements between practices and the NHS are handled by Oliver Pool.
Practice head(s):
Ben Willis
Other key lawyers:
Oliver Pool; Gemma Pouncey; Rebecca Beardsley
Key clients
Redlands primary Care
Kernow LMC
Pioneer Medical Group
Pier Health Group
Lakeside Healthcare Group
Rugby Health PCN
King Edward Street and others
Staploe Medical Practice
Westrop Medical Practice
Victoria Medical Centre