News & Events

Clinical Negligence

Hormone Pregnancy Test group litigation – successful strike-out of claims against pharmaceutical manufacturers and the UK Government

Hormone Pregnancy Test group litigation – successful strike-out of claims against pharmaceutical manufacturers and the UK Government

Robert Dickason of Outer Temple Chambers and Leigh-Ann Mulcahy KC of Fountain Court Chambers acted for the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in litigation arising from the use of hormonal pregnancy test (HPT) tablets taken to diagnose pregnancy in the 1950s-1970s. In this group litigation, over 200 claims were issued against the pharmaceutical manufacturers of two HPTs (Primodos and Amenorone Forte), as well as against the Government on the basis that it was responsible for safe regulation of HPTs in the 1950s-1970s. The claimants maintained that HPTs taken during pregnancy had caused them to suffer congenital malformations, miscarriage and/or stillbirth. Previous litigation brought in the 1970s-80s had also sought to prove that HPTs caused congenital malformations, but…

News 2 Jun, 2023

Robert Dickason, Masih v The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust

Masih v The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust – Clinical negligence appeal dismissed on all grounds

Robert Dickason appeared for the defendant trust in Masih v The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust [2023] EWHC 1280 (KB) in a clinical negligence High Court appeal which was dismissed on all grounds. Robert appeared for the defendant NHS Trust in this clinical negligence appeal in the High Court arising from the death of a 33 year old man who was being treated for severe acute pancreatitis when, in the course of his hospital admission, he suffered an unexpected and fatal cardiac arrhythmia. Breach of duty was admitted but the claim was successfully defended after an 8-day trial on causation involving expert intensive care and cardiology evidence. The claimants appealed, challenging the trial judge’s application of Bolitho and his assessment of the expert evidence and literature. On 26 May 2023, Mr Justice…

News 31 May, 2023

Elizabeth Grace published in AvMA Lawyers Service Newsletter

Elizabeth Grace has recently been published in the AvMA Lawyers Service Newsletter regarding an inquest she was instructed in involving the death of a five-year-old at The Children’s Trust. Elizabeth Grace acted for the foster family in a case involving the death of a five-year-old boy called Connor Wellsted who was tragically killed after being trapped under a cot bumper whilst in the care of The Children’s Trust, a brain injury rehabilitation facility for children. Elizabeth Grace was instructed by Charlotte Connor of AvMA, on a pro bono basis, to represent the foster parents. This case attracted national press attention and we included a short summary of the case with press links in May. Click here to read this summary. Within the AvMA…

External Publications 7 Jul, 2022

Outer Temple Chambers nominated by The Legal 500 UK Bar Awards

Outer Temple Chambers has been nominated by The Legal 500 Bar Awards as Clinical Negligence, Personal Injury and Employment Set of the Year. Additionally, barristers Saul Margo and Oliver Powell have been nominated respectively for Chancery Junior and Corporate Crime Junior of the Year. Legal 500 Set of the Year We are delighted to announce that Outer Temple Chambers has been nominated by The Legal 500 Bar Awards for Clinical Negligence, Personal Injury and Employment Set of the Year 2022! Our Clinical Negligence barristers cover various claims involving doctors, dentists, nurses and other health professionals. We are frequently instructed in the most demanding and highest value cases, including birth injury and other serious neurological injuries. Legal 500 has stated that…

News 6 Jul, 2022

The Spinal Sessions; Cauda Equina Syndrome – Talk 5: Journey of Cauda Equina from an occupational therapy & care perspective

Outer Temple Chambers hosted a conference on spinal injury, focusing on Cauda Equina Syndrome. The final talk of the day was from Maggie Sargent and Gill Creighton of Maggie Sargent & Associates, who covered the journey of Cauda Equina from an occupational therapy & care perspective. Outer Temple Chambers hosted a series of talks and discussions on spinal injury related topics. These were chaired by Eliot Woolf QC. The webinar was held on Thursday 23rd June 2022. The Spinal Sessions focused on the topic of Cauda Equina Syndrome. The fifth and final talk of the day was from Maggie Sargent and Gill Creighton (Care and Case Management Specialists) of Maggie Sargent & Associates, who covered the journey of Cauda Equina from…

Webinars & Recordings 4 Jul, 2022

The Spinal Sessions; Cauda Equina Syndrome – Talk 3: The rehabilitation of Cauda Equina Syndrome patients

Outer Temple Chambers hosted a conference on spinal injury, focusing on Cauda Equina Syndrome, on 23rd June 2022. The third talk of the day was by Consultant in Neurorehabilitation, Dr Naveen Kumar, who covered the rehabilitation of Cauda Equine Syndrome patients. Outer Temple Chambers hosted a series of talks and discussions on spinal injury related topic, chaired by Eliot Woolf QC. The webinar was held on Thursday 23rd June 2022. ‘The Spinal Sessions’ focused on the topic of Cauda Equina Syndrome. The third talk of the day was by Consultant in Neurorehabilitation, Dr Naveen Kumar, who covered the rehabilitation of Cauda Equine Syndrome patients. Dr Naveen Kumar is a Consultant in Spinal Injuries at MCSI based at Robert Jones & Agnes…

Webinars & Recordings 4 Jul, 2022

The Spinal Sessions; Cauda Equina Syndrome – Talk 2: A legal update on liability, delay in diagnosis, consent and causation

Outer Temple Chambers hosted a conference on spinal injury, focusing on Cauda Equina Syndrome on Thursday 23rd June 2022. The second talk of the day was by Jonathan Hand QC and Daniel Clarke. They gave a legal update on liability, delay in diagnosis and treatment, consent and causation. Outer Temple Chambers hosted a series of talks and discussions on spinal injury related topics. These were chaired by Eliot Woolf QC. The webinar was held on Thursday 23rd June 2022. The Spinal Sessions focused on the topic of Cauda Equina Syndrome. The second talk of the day was by Jonathan Hand QC and Daniel Clarke who gave a legal update on, liability, delay in diagnosis & treatment, Consent and causation. Jonathan and…

Webinars & Recordings 4 Jul, 2022

The Spinal Sessions; Cauda Equina Syndrome – Talk 1: Diagnosis, surgical timing and causation

Outer Temple Chambers hosted a conference on spinal injury, focusing on Cauda Equina Syndrome in June 2022. The first in a series of five talks was by Consultant Neurosurgeon, John Leach, where he covered diagnosis, surgical timing and causation. Outer Temple Chambers hosted a series of talks and discussions, chaired by Eliot Woolf QC, on spinal injury related topics; The Spinal Sessions, Cauda Equina Syndrome. The webinar was held on Thursday 23rd June 2022. The first talk of the day was by Consultant Neurosurgeon, John Leach, who covered diagnosis, surgical timing and causation. John Leach is a Consultant Neurosurgeon with sub-specialty interests in spinal surgery, including tumours. He has a particular expertise in neck conditions including neck and arm pain, disc…

Webinars & Recordings 4 Jul, 2022

Secondary Victim Claims: Tom Gibson comments on Paul v Wolverhampton

The Court of Appeal has now handed down judgment in Paul v Wolverhampton, Polmear v Cornwall and Purchase v Dr Ahmed – three conjoined appeals on the ‘secondary victim’ criteria for psychiatric injury claims in a clinical negligence setting.  Tom Gibson takes a closer look at the implications. While medical negligence practitioners everywhere may have been hoping for clarity in the law, it looks as though the secondary victim claims saga will continue to run.  Though the Court of Appeal decided the appeals, perhaps reluctantly, in favour of the defendants, the Court also encouraged the claimants to appeal to the Supreme Court. All three cases featured claimants who suffered psychiatric injuries resulting from family members’ tragic, sudden deaths following medical…

Legal Blogs 18 Jan, 2022

University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust

Jonathan Hand QC appears in Miller v University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust 

Jonathan Hand QC successfully represented the Claimant in this clinical negligence claim, in which judgment was given on 9 November 2021. The following is a summary of the judge’s decision in the case.  The claim was brought on behalf of Mrs Miller’s estate together with a claim by her husband and her half-brother, as dependents under the Fatal Accidents Act 1976 after Mrs Miller was involved in a serious road traffic accident in 2016. The background In the accident, Mrs Miller suffered multiple orthopaedic injuries, including multiple fractures. Following arrival at the hospital by air ambulance, Mrs Miller underwent surgery for the fractures and was admitted to the ICU. Several weeks later, by which time Mrs Miller’s condition appeared to…

News 22 Dec, 2021

Rachel Vickers Is Formally Named Queen’s Counsel

Outer Temple is very proud to announce that Rachel Vickers has been formally sworn in today as a member of Queen’s Counsel at the QC Appointment Ceremony 2021. Some of the finest legal minds have been sworn in today at Westminster Hall including Outer Temple’s Rachel Vickers. Whilst the celebrations have understandably been scaled down due to ongoing Covid restrictions, Rachel was able to celebrate with family and friends including her proud clerk, Paul Barton and we all look forward to getting together as a Chambers to raise a glass as soon as we can. Silks Day ‘Silks Day’ 2021, is the culmination of a rigorous application process to demonstrate excellence in advocacy in the higher courts. These appointments are…

News 1 Nov, 2021

Limitation provisions during lockdown for personal injury & clinical negligence matters

Carin Hunt considers limitation issues resulting from the COVID-19 lockdown in her article for Lexis PSL. In the Lexis PSL article, ‘Coronavirus (COVID-19)—limitation provisions during lockdown for PI and clinical negligence matters’, Carin Hunt considers the consequences of Covid-19 for the limitation of personal injury and clinical negligence claims. Carin looks at delays to the conduct of litigation caused by the pandemic, and considers the use of standstill agreements and the operation of section 33 of the Limitation Act 1980 to keep claims in time. Article If you have subscription to Lexis, you may read the article here.  About the Author Carin Hunt joined Chambers in September 2019, following her pupillage and she is developing a busy practice in the…

Covid-19 12 Aug, 2020

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