Health & Social Care Professionals

The regulation of the medical and social care professions forms a significant part of our work at Mountford Chambers. Pressure on the health and social care sector has grown in recent years, resulting in many professionals having to work under challenging circumstances and has given rise to a significant increase in professional regulation proceedings.

In the healthcare sector, our barristers have significant experience of appearing in cases before the General Medical Council, the General Dental Council, the Heath and Care Professions Council, the Nursing and Midwifery Council, the General Pharmaceutical Council and the General Optical Council in cases involving:

• Doctors
• Paramedics
• Nurses
• Dentists
• Midwives
• Pharmacists
• Physiotherapists
• Biomedical scientists
• Opticians and optometrists

In the social care sphere, our barristers have acted in many cases involving social workers facing proceedings before the Health and Care Professions Council (now Social Work England), Social Care Wales and the Scottish Social Services Council.

Allegations faced by health and social care professionals commonly involve criticisms of clinical incompetence, professional or reputational misconduct or criminal convictions. Our barristers are experienced in cases involving the entire range of professional misconduct, from poor record-keeping to dishonesty, violent and sexual misconduct, and dangerous or negligent clinical practice.

Our vast experience and reputation for excellence in criminal workplaces us in a unique and influential position to deploy those skills in the cross-examination of complainants in sexual misconduct cases, expert witnesses in clinical cases and the forensic analysis of allegations of financial misconduct in the increasing number of cases where there is an obvious cross-over between regulatory and criminal law.

Several cases recently undertaken by Mountford barristers have involved the tragic deaths of patients and service users alleged to have occurred because of clinical failings by a regulated professional. Our experience of such issues in criminal trials, including causation, the impact of treatment, lack of treatment and post mortem reports places our barristers in a unique position to provide clients with robust and experienced representation when it matters most.

We not only act for individuals, but also at times, for the professions themselves, with Mountford Chambers barristers instructed to advise upon and present cases on behalf of regulatory bodies including the Health and Care Professions Council, the General Dental Council, the General Optical Council, the General Pharmaceutical Council and the Scottish Social Services Council.