Hill Dickinson LLP

Health Business Group

Partner

Richard completed his training contract at Hill Dickinson LLP, qualified as a solicitor in 2012, and joined the partnership in 2024.

Richard works with a wide variety of public and private organisations, particularly those operating in the health, care and life sciences sector, with an emphasis on information governance, public law, regulatory compliance, commissioning and dispute resolution.

Richard advises clients on all aspects of information governance, including data protection, confidentiality and sector-specific legislation, policies and guidance. As well as advising health and care commissioners and providers on information governance, Richard works with technology companies to develop compliance solutions for their data-driven technologies and services.

Richard has a broad public law and regulatory practice. He advises public bodies on their statutory duties, contributes to statutory guidance, and represents clients in judicial review proceedings. His regulatory practice includes information rights, care standards, performers lists, medicines, medical devices, research and pharmacy regulation.

Richard also specialises in health and care commissioning, especially primary care. This includes advising on national guidance and standard contracts, the management of primary care contracts, and resolving disputes between commissioners and providers.

Having worked on secondment within a national NHS body, as well as regularly working with commissioners, providers, regulators and suppliers, Richard has a comprehensive knowledge of the challenges and drivers of all organisations operating in the health, care and life sciences sector. Richard also regularly works with clients in a variety of other sectors.

Richard’s notable reported cases include:

Representing and successfully defending the NHS in a high profile judicial review regarding the controversial acquisition of AT Medics, an NHS primary care provider, by Operose Health, which was owned by US healthcare company Centene (Khurana v North Central London Clinical Commissioning Group & Anor [2022] EWHC 384 (Admin)) Representing and successfully defending the NHS in two Court of Appeal judgments which are now leading precedents on the termination of primary care contracts and the legal status of NHS contracts (Krebs v NHS Commissioning Board [2014] EWCA Civ 1540 & Pitalia v NHS Commissioning Board [2014] EWCA Civ 474)

Richard’s experience includes:

Information governance Advising international, national and local organisations, public and private, on compliance with all aspects of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Data Protection Act 2018, and related legislation, including international data transfers. Representing clients in relation to regulatory action by the Information Commissioner concerning data protection, freedom of information, environmental information and electronic communications. Undertaking data protection due diligence for a variety of corporate transactions including the sale of care home and private hospital chains. Working with a health technology start-up to develop a compliance solution for deployment of its data-driven technology (including artificial intelligence) within the NHS. Working with a cryptocurrency start-up to develop a compliance solution for their wallet-to-identity database. Providing bespoke training to Data Protection Officers (DPOs), Senior Information Risk Owners (SIROs) and Caldicott Guardians and on their respective information governance responsibilities. Public law Advising a national NHS body on policies, statutory guidance and legislative reform in a variety of areas, including in relation to public involvement and consultation, service reconfiguration, primary care commissioning, payments to suspended primary care practitioners, and the introduction of the statutory medical examiner system in the UK. Successfully defending judicial reviews brought against national and local public bodies in relation to a variety of matters including significant changes to NHS services, the management and termination of primary care contracts, the procurement of NHS services, the regulation of community pharmacies, payments to suspended medical practitioners, the application process for trainee doctors, and the controversial takeover of NHS primary care provider by a US healthcare company. Regulatory Advising an Indian company on the introduction of a wearable medical device into the UK market, including partnerships with UK companies to accelerate deployment and navigate regulatory requirements. Advising a national NHS body on a controversial and high profile case concerning the suspension of GP who was head of an organisation prior to it being proscribed as a terrorist organisation. Advising manufacturers and distributors on the advertising of medicines and medical devices. Undertaking regulatory due diligence for a variety of corporate transactions including investment into an online pharmacy. Successfully defending a regulator in misfeasance in public office proceedings. Health and care commissioning Advising NHS commissioners on all aspects of the management of primary care contracts, including developing new contracts, managing changes to services, responding to concerns, serving breach and remedial notices and termination, including urgent termination on the grounds of patient safety Successfully defending commercial disputes and litigation against NHS commissioners by GP and dental providers, including two Court of Appeal judgments which are now leading precedents on the termination of primary care contracts and the legal status of NHS contracts.

Advising a group of NHS commissioners on their commissioning policies, including on the funding of assisted conception services.

The Law Society

Richard graduated from the University of Liverpool (LLB, 2007) and was awarded a distinction in the Legal Practice Course at the College of Law (LPC, 2008).

In his free time Richard loves to travel, hike the great outdoors, and create music.