Medical law

Clare has a wide-ranging clinical negligence practice involving claims arising out of the management of the delivery of babies, diagnostic errors, surgical errors etc.

Examples of recent cases in which she has been instructed include:-

• Various high value claims involving birth injuries sustained at birth.
• A multi-million pound claim for an adult protected party arising out of neurological injury caused by the incorrect positioning of a subclavian central venous line and the subsequent infusion of vancomycin and potassium chloride into his left vertebral artery causing catastrophic brain damage.
• A multi-million pound claim for an adult protected party arising out of a hypoxic brain injury caused by the prescription of excessive doses of Clonazepam, Chlordiazepoxide and Lorazepam and inadequate monitoring which failed to detect in time that the Claimant was entering respiratory depression and led to a failure to administer Naloxon and to transfer the Claimant immediately for further treatment. 
• A Fatal Accidents Act claim arising out of the failure to diagnose and treat testicular cancer.
• Two cases involving a failure to treat a slipped upper femoral epiphysis and one involving a failure to diagnose and treat developmental dysplasia of the hip.
• A claim involving injuries to the Claimant's bowel and uterus following microwave endometrial ablation.
• Several cases involving psychiatric injuries sustained by secondary victims in clinical negligence cases, including one arising out of a failure to include a young child in an immunisation catch-up programme which caused her death.

Clare has also often been briefed to appear at inquests involving the care and treatment given by medical professionals. Of particular note, she was Junior Counsel for the South Derbyshire Mental Health NHS Trust at the Kingsway Hospital Inquests in January-March 2005. These were inquests into the deaths of a large number of elderly patients with dementia following serious allegations of deliberate withdrawal of nutrition and hydration. Verdicts: natural causes.

Clare has chaired five Independent Inquiries into the Care and Conduct of Patients following Homicides; the most recent of these Inquiries was published in 2006 in the case of Stephen Soans-Wade and was widely reported in the press. These Inquiries are commissioned by NHS bodies in accordance with the National Health Service Executive Circular "Guidance on the discharge of mentally disordered people and their continuing care in the community HSG (94) 27. On each occasion, Clare has had a panel of experts conducting the Inquiry with her and a report has been prepared incorporating wide ranging recommendations which are intended to form the basis of action plans for the improved delivery of mental health services.