The team are highly professional with excellent knowledge of the NHS and in particular the Ambulance Service. They are very reliable and promptly respond to clients requests. Ward Hadaway are an exceptionally client-focused firm who truly work in partnership with Trust. Overall we have an extremely good working relationship providing high quality and value for money.
Our team of specialist healthcare lawyers is one of the most experienced in the country, working for public and private sector providers across the UK. We have a deep understanding of the regulatory landscape and can help navigate it’s often complex waters.
This includes preparing for Care Quality Commission inspections, supporting when independent investigations are opened in relation to adverse incidents, defending corporate manslaughter or gross negligence investigations, advocacy at tribunals or advising on ‘fitness to practise’ cases.
Whatever the issue, you’ll benefit from the breadth and depth of knowledge honed over decades by our experienced team of lawyers, here to help and guide you. Rest assured, you’ll have the very best team onboard to offer clear, concise advice and guidance.
Our services
CQC Support
- Drafting factual accuracy challenges
- Rating reviews
- Responding to enforcement action
- Assisting in responding to warning notices and enforcement action
- First-tier Tribunal appeals
- Helping with ad hoc queries that arise during or after inspection
- Lessons learnt
- Preparing for CQC inspections
- Providing Board reports on the outcomes of the visits and mock inspection
- Sharing lessons learned from other inspections
Investigations
- Corporate manslaughter / gross negligence manslaughter investigations
- Independent investigations in relation to adverse incidents
Advocacy
- First-tier Tribunal
- Fitness to practise panels
- Interim Orders Hearings
- NHS Performers List
- Upper Tribunal
Fitness to practise
- Advising on whether the realistic prospect is met
- Dealing with and understanding the concept of disclosure
- Drafting allegations
- Drafting case summaries and skeleton arguments
- Identifying potential issues at the outset of an investigation
- Interviewing witnesses and preparing concise statements which dealt with the regulatory concerns
- Preparing bundles for hearing
- Presenting cases at hearings often lasting several days
- Recognising where urgent action was required by way of an interim order
- Reviewing and managing large volumes of documentation, in particular medical records
- Reviewing closure decisions
- Reviewing concerns/complaints and preparing an investigation plan
- Understanding the importance of service standards to a regulator
- Working to tight deadlines and managing caseloads with competing priorities effectively
Other investigations
We can advise on:
- Department for Business, Innovation and Skills investigations
- Disciplinary Hearings
- Environmental investigations and crime
- HM Revenue & Customs investigations
- Office of Fair Trading investigations
- Serious Fraud Office investigations
- Trading Standards investigations