3PB

Professional discipline, Inquests, Public and Administrative Law

Sunyana Sharma is an inquest and professional discipline barrister with specialist knowledge in maritime and fishing law and health and safety law. She also has experience in regulatory compliance.

Sunyana sits as an Assistant Coroner for Hampshire, Southampton and Portsmouth and as a Deputy District Judge in Civil and Family law. To read more about Sunyana’s relevant expertise, please see her specialist inquests profile.

Prior to joining Chambers, Sunyana worked for the Solicitor International Human Right’s Group (‘SIHRG’) with whom she organised the Zimbabwe Fundraising Event called 'Protecting Lawyers in Zimbabwe' in collaboration with the Bar Human Rights Committee. She also worked as part of a team in researching and drafting legal submissions on the rule of law and the importance of an impartial tribunal following the suspension of the Chief Justice of Pakistan in March 2007. In addition, she undertook an internship with the criminal justice department of 'JUSTICE', the all party law reform and human rights organisation. She assisted with the research on policy papers commissioned by JUSTICE, which included changes to the rape in the Sexual Offences Act 2003 and responses to the Home Office paper on 'New powers against organised and financial crime’.

Reported Cases

[2010] EWCA Crim 109; [2011] 1 Cr App R (S) 36: The Court considered whether exceptional circumstances exist justifying the court in not imposing the required minimum sentence for the possession of firearms.

Publications

Sunyana has written for a number of publications on topics such as inquests, public law and life at the Bar. These articles include:

• “Ask a Judge” – diversity on Circuit (Counsel Magazine, 2025)
• “Kids, Court and Caffeine…How to survive having a baby at the Bar” (The Barrister, 2023)
• “The influence of Coroners—what impact do prevention of future deaths reports have in practice?” (LexisNexis, 2021)
• “Fisheries Act 2020–snapshot”, in collaboration with Dr Tagbo Ilozue (LexisNexis, 2021)
• “Secondments – worth a second thought” (Counsel Magazine, 2020)
• "BarNone: changing the face of justice", in collaboration with Anjali Gohil (Counsel Magazine, 2020)
• "Breaking moulds" (Counsel Magazine, 2020)

Professional discipline and Regulatory Law

Sunyana Sharma has developed a strong practice in professional disciplinary regulation following secondments as a case presenter at the Nursing and Midwifery Council (‘NMC’) and in house lawyer at the General Chiropractic Council (‘GCC’). She appears regularly in various healthcare tribunals which includes the NMC, GCC, Health and Care Professions Council (‘HCPC’), Medical Practitioner’s Tribunal Service (‘MPTS’), General Optical Council (‘GOC’), British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (‘BACP’) and General Dental Council ‘GDC’ for substantive misconduct and health hearings, interim order applications and substantive order reviews.  In addition, she is regularly instructed by nursing, care homes and GP Surgery’s appealing CQC decisions before the First Tier Tribunal (Health, Education and Social Care Chamber).

Having developed an in depth and robust understanding of the ‘fitness to practise’ regime, she takes instruction in all professional disciplinary cases.

Sunyana was seconded to the Financial Conduct Authority (‘FCA’) from 2019 to 2020 to assist in two high profile dual tracked investigations into systemic failures by two major global banks.

Recent Cases

HCPC v. x (2023): Instructed to represent practical psychologist for plagiarism allegations in a PhD thesis.

NMC v. x (2023): Represented a nurse in an interim order hearing for being charged with gross manslaughter and misconduct allegations in which responsible nurse failed to attach monitoring equipment of a child with co-morbidities and sleep apnoea, which caused and/or contributed to patient’s death.

GPhC v. PP (2022): Advised a pharmacy group for potential allegations in relation to staff at the pharmacy being unqualified and large volumes of Phenergan and Codeine Linctus going missing during COVID-19 lockdown. Pharmacy unable to account for missing medication.

BACP v. SE (2022): Representing a counsellor for misconduct allegations for conducting a joint counselling sessions for a couple with instance of domestic violence. Expert instructed to show the changing clinical approach to counselling sessions in domestic violence cases where joint sessions were permissible in certain circumstances.

GDC v. MB (2022): Instructed to represent a Harley Street dentist in 14-day misconduct case in respect of inadequate care given to five patients and inappropriate offensive communication with a sixth patient.  Complexities in the case included the instruction of an expert due to the technical nature of the implants provided.

GDC v. x (2021): representing CDT for multiple allegations relating to working out of scope, breach of an interim order and various dishonesty allegations.

BACP v. x (2021): Representing a counsellor for misconduct allegations in relation to joint counselling sessions for a couple with a history of domestic violence.

GMC v. x (2020): Instructed to represent a consultant anaesthetist for incorrect and dangerous intubation pre-surgery of two patients leading to near deaths.

GDC v. SK (2020): Successfully represented a dentist in an IO hearing who faced allegations of sexual abuse.

CQC v. YSL (2020): Successfully represented care home in an appeal to cancel its registration before the First Tier Tribunal (Care Standards).

Human Givens Institute v. LM (2019): Advised an integrative therapist specialising in mental and emotional health on an appeal of the decision of the Human Givens Institute for practising out of scope.

NMC v. RP (2018): Represented a nurse for a number of failings in which he was blamed for the death of a patient. Following the week’s substantive hearing none of the allegations were found proved.

GMC v. x (2017): Represented a Doctor for carrying out medical practise whilst not holding a licence to practise.

HCPC v. KC (2017): Represented a social worker for receiving a caution for disclosing sexual photographs of his ex partner.

GOC v. AP (2016): Represented an optician for over 50 misconduct allegations relating to the adequacy of sight testing, the fitting of contact lenses, record keeping and dishonesty for a patient with keratoconus.

NMC v. JN (2015): Instructed to advise a registrant on an appeal to the High Court relating to a Substantive Order determination on dishonesty.

NMC v. PN (2015): Represented the NMC at a misconduct substantive hearing in which the registrant was undertaking shift work when signed off sick and working excessive hours, including a continuous 37 hour shift.

GDC v. IK (2014): Instructed to represent a dental technician for acting outside his scope of practice.

NMC v. KA-A (2014): Successfully represented the NMC for a 9 day substantive misconduct hearing against two nurses for restraining a vulnerable dementia patient to a hospital bed with a bedsheet and cable ties.

NMC v. AA (2014): Represented the NMC for dishonesty allegations against the Registrant who had produced and provided false references to an NHS Trust to obtain a Band 5 Nursing post. The five day substantive hearing resulted in the Nurse being struck off.

GCC v. X (2014): Represented the GCC for a substantive order review hearing of a Chiropractor who had been convicted of acts of voyeurism.

GCC v. EJ (2013): Successfully represented EJ in a four day substantive hearing for allegations of unacceptable professional conduct relating to a sexual relationship with a patient, confidentiality breaches and dishonesty.

GOC v. AP (2012): Appeared on behalf of a student optician for dishonesty allegations.

Inquests

Sunyana Sharma’s experience in inquest work covers medical negligence cases, deaths at sea, fatal accidents at work and deaths in care home settings and suicides of community and voluntary and involuntary patients. .

She is well equipped to deal with a full range of inquest work as noted by her expertise in areas of professional disciplinary law, maritime law and health and safety work.

In November 2021, Sunyana was appointed as an Assistant Coroner for Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton and now combines this part-time role with her busy inquests’ caseload.

She provides added value to inquests as a result of her previous practice area of personal injury in which she conducted clinical negligence claims, work related illnesses and accidents and police misconduct claims.

Notable Cases

• Inquest touching death of TE (2025): Representing leading clinician in specialist field of cosmetic orthopaedic surgery following death of patient following elective surgery.
• Inquest touching death of EL (2025): Instructed by leading boat building Company which builds pleasure and sporting boats respond to a ‘Prevention of Future Death Report’ following the death of a young woman who had been a passenger on the Seadogz rib experience ride which collided with a buoy in Southampton Water.
• Inquest touching the death of J & S (2024): Represented HMCG in an inquest following the deaths of two children at Bournemouth Pier.  Assisted the Coroner in understanding the interplay between the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (‘MAIB’) and The Merchant Shipping (Accident Reporting and Investigation) 2012 as the inquest was required to consider whether the actions of a pleasure vessel may have caused/contributed  to the deaths thereby leading to the deaths being notifiable under s.7(2)(c) of the Coroner and Justice Act 2009.
• Inquest touching deaths of M, J & P (2023): Representing HM Coastguard Agency in three joint inquests following drownings that occurred during the relaxation of COVID pandemic lockdown. PFD concerns raised on the management of beach safety prior to the inquest.
• Inquest touching the death of AS (2022): Represented a nurse, who had sole care of a tracheostomy child patient with complex care needs.  An article 2 six-day inquest in which neglect issues raised when nurse failed to follow emergency care plan process when tracheostomy dislodged. PFD and referral to NMC avoided.
• Inquest touching the deaths of YMG & PLF (2021): Represented HMCG in 10-day Judge led inquest which inquired into the drowning of two fisherman following the sinking of the French fishing vessel, the Bugaled Breizh in January 2004.  The inquest considered the structural safety of the vessel, adequacy of training and equipment, the possible causes of the sinking including the involvement of another vessel or submarine and the adequacy of the search and rescue of the fishermen.
• Inquest touching death of SR (2021): Represented Local Authority in an article 2 jury inquest of a drug related death of a patient who was receiving specialist treatment by Healthcare Services under s.37/s.41 of the Mental Health Act under a Restricted Order. Scope of inquest included the adequate monitoring of the deceased’s mental health and the delay in transferring to another jurisdiction, which led to the overdose.
• Inquest touching the deaths of S & A (2021): Representing a neonatal nurse who erroneously administered sodium nitrite, an unlicensed drug, rather than sodium bicarbonate on two separate occasions leading to the deaths of two babies.
• Inquest touching death of GPS (2021): Represented HM Coastguard Agency in article 2 inquest following the failed search and rescue of G who was found 11 days after her disappearance was first notified to the Police.
• Inquest touching the death of D (2020): Represented care home following the death of an elderly resident with dementia. Coroner exploring errors made by multiple individuals in the care of the resident and poor communication between the Home and GP surgery.
• Inquest touching the death of JT (2020): Represented family in an Article 2 inquest investigating failures by four clinical settings. Concerns included the response by an Ambulance Service, the care provided at two NHS Trusts one of which led to the amputation of the deceased’s leg and the emergency care given in A & E prior to death.
• Inquest touching the death of BI (2018): Instructed to represent a dredger Company following a collision with a sailing boat leading to a death at sea.
• Inquest touching the death of NW (2017): Instructed by HM Coastguard Agency following a death at sea in which article 2 issues were raised in relation to the collaboration of multi-agencies. No PFD Report made.
• Inquest touching the death of RS (2016): Represented an employee as an IP at a 3-day jury inquest into the death of a colleague whilst at work following a fall through a Perspex roof on his employer’s premises.
• Inquest touching the death of EG (2013): Represented the family of the deceased in an inquest which challenged the clinical care and treatment provided by an NHS Trust.

Public and Administrative Law

Sunyana Sharma is a busy inquest and professional disciplinary specialist with significant expertise in the health and safety, maritime and fisheries sectors.  She also regularly advises and appears in CQC, DBS and OFSTED appeals.  She has was previously appointed to the C list of Regulatory Advocates for the Health and Safety Executive, Office of Rail Regulation and the Environment Agency.  She has both defended and prosecuted in various regulatory law matters, which have included collisions at sea, fisheries offences, breaches of a health and safety regulations, animal welfare and trading standards prosecutions. Furthermore, she regularly appears before various disciplinary tribunals and care and education standards tribunal.

Sunyana is regularly invited to speak on coronial law, professional discipline and regulatory matters to solicitors, colleagues and industry experts.

Secondments 

Sunyana has undertaken the following secondments in the field of healthcare and financial regulation and health and safety:

• 10 month secondment with investigations team for the Financial Conduct Authority working on two dual tracked investigations into two major global bank.
• 13 month secondment with National Grid PLC as Specialist Health, Safety and Environment In house Counsel.
• Ad Hoc secondment with the GCC to advise on cases.
• Six month secondment as a case presenter to the NMC dealing with a variety of misconduct and lack of competence cases (NMC).
• Assisted the public and regulatory team on advising the Nursing and Midwifery Council (‘NMC’) on ‘fitness to practise’ cases under the NMC ‘Code: Standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives’, ‘Standards for Medicines Management’ and Guidance on ‘Recordkeeping’ for nurses and midwives (Blake Morgan and Fieldfisher Waterhouse).

Year of Call: 2006

Hindi and Punjabi.

Coroners’ Society of England and Wales ARDL (Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers) HSLA (Health and Safety Lawyers Association) HRLA (Human Rights Lawyers Association) Western Circuit

LLB Law (Hons), London School of Economics LLM Public International Law (Merit), London School of Economics Bar Vocational Course, BPP Law School, London (2006, very competent). Jessup International Mooting Competition, (UK rounds) - Finalist, 2004 and Semi-Finalist, 2006 Assistant Coroner for Hampshire, Portsmouth and Southampton DDJ (Civil and Family) Steering Committee member of BarNone, Western Circuit

On the odd night off, Sunyana enjoys running, ‘body combat’, dancing, food, international movies and all things Indian!