Health Employment
We support health and social care clients with issues ranging from whistleblowing complaints, harassment and bullying grievances, and doctors/dentists' conduct and capability processes to strategic advice on industrial action, mergers and acquisitions, integration, joint ventures, shared services, and outsourcing.
Services
ContactsOverview
We understand the unique challenges that health and social care organisations face when dealing with people issues in the sector. There is a complex array of employment laws and employer, regional, and national practices, plus a vital regulatory overlay that has to be taken into account to give the right advice to an organisation in any particular situation. Beyond that, we understand that our health and social care clients care about their patients and staff, which often means finding a sensitive way to do the right thing.
Leveraging our experience advising NHS England, a significant number of providers in the NHS, and leading organisations in the private sector, we offer more than just legal advice. We deliver a clear and pragmatic approach to navigating the uncertainties of this ever-changing landscape.
Our experience includes handling complex discrimination, transfer of undertakings, and detriment claims in employment tribunals, as well as tailored and bespoke pension advice concerning NHS and private pensions. We have also assisted clients with establishing businesses abroad and entering joint ventures with foreign organisations. Our team regularly advise on other workforce issues such as employing staff overseas, transferring domestic staff abroad, and bringing foreign staff to the UK using our dedicated immigration experts.
We aim to resolve difficult internal situations proactively, preventing claims from arising or seeking amicable solutions. We also offer a People Pool service of expert HR and legal advisors who can assist clients in undertaking complex and sensitive internal investigations or mediations. We provide tailored solutions that meet your needs, anticipate future challenges, and deliver results creatively.
Featured experience
- Supporting NHS clients concerning complex doctors/dentists' conduct and capability proceedings, regularly defending breach of contract and injunctive proceedings about Maintaining High Professional Standards (MHPS) and providing strategic advice regarding the internal processes and wider employee relation issues
- Advising NHS England on their significant change programme involving transfers of high levels of staff from other bodies. We ensured a smooth transition, within the complex legal and policy background to this public sector transfer.
- Supporting NHS England, NHS Trusts, and NHS Foundation Trusts in managing the recent nursing, medical and other strikes. We have developed bespoke strike preparation training, assisted clients with analysing derogations to ensure continuation of patient critical work, and advised clients alongside our healthcare regulatory colleagues on consultants' responsibilities to provide supervision during strike action.
- Providing complex and strategic advice to private care providers in relation to allegations of whistleblowing and discrimination raised by senior executives and clinicians and defending such claims in the Employment Tribunal, as well as advising on internal processes and settlement
- Advising private care providers on investigation, dismissal, and exit strategies for senior employees implicated in misconduct, involving our regulatory colleagues and partnering with counsel in other jurisdictions as necessary to mitigate legal, regulatory, and reputational risk
Related services
Clinical Risk and Medical Malpractice
We understand the challenges that arise in the healthcare sector when patient expectations are not met, and we also recognise that cost pressures in the sector and on medical malpractice indemnifiers have never been so acute. As the provision of healthcare fragments away from its traditional delivery models, more and more claims activity will affect commercial entities, private clinics, hospitals, general healthcare providers – and their insurers.
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Commercial Health
The health and social care sector remains under great pressure to both generate efficiencies as well as adopt innovation, all while continuing to provide safe and high quality care. This means that informed, commercial decisions need to be made, often at pace, against a backdrop of complex frameworks, and within a highly regulated environment.
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Corporate Health
We work with a wide range of businesses, nationally and internationally, across the health and social care sector, providing a comprehensive service across the whole spectrum of corporate transactions and advice.
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Data, Privacy and Cyber in Health
Our specialist lawyers understand, and advise based on the sensitivity and huge value of data in health and social care.
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Governance and Compliance in Healthcare
Working within our leading health and social care team, our governance experts specialise in helping health and social care organisations implement effective governance practices.
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Health and Social Care Regulatory
Our health and social care regulatory specialists will provide you with practical, strategic advice designed to help you resolve complex issues in this highly regulated sector.
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Health Employment
Our market-leading employment team provides tailored solutions to difficult problems across the health and social care sector.
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Health Procurement
Our market-leading health and procurement teams provide expert guidance and support, alongside a diverse range of solutions tailored to your needs.
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Healthcare Litigation
We’re experts in resolving commercial disputes for a wide range of organisations in the health and social care sector.
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Health and Social Care Real Estate
We provide a complete real estate service across the health and social care sector, for both public health bodies, NHS Foundation Trusts and private providers as well as to developers, investors and funders – both national and international.
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Inquests
Our experienced healthcare regulatory lawyers represent NHS and independent providers in inquest proceedings.
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Public Law and Judicial Review
Our public law team is uniquely experienced in acting for public bodies on high-profile judicial reviews, and advisory work across the health and social care sector.
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”The employment team is hugely impressive and able to handle any matter given to them. All lawyers that we have worked with have been very helpful and knowledgeable.
Chambers and Partners UK 2023 Edition Employment: Employer: Healthcare client UK
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”The employment team is hugely impressive and able to handle any matter given to them. All lawyers that we have worked with have been very helpful and knowledgeable.
Chambers and Partners UK 2023 Edition Employment: Employer: Healthcare client UK
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”They are an excellent firm which is very good at handling complex, strategic matters as well as practical operational challenges. They are always responsive and quick to deal with things.
Chambers and Partners UK 2023 Edition Employment: Employer: Healthcare client UK
Health Employment key contacts
Who we are
Why choose DAC Beachcroft?
We’re a broad-based commercial firm serving a wide range of sectors with a strong heritage in insurance,
health and real estate. We combine excellent legal skills and cutting-edge delivery expertise to design
solutions that fit the needs of our clients – often involving clever uses of technology.
NHS
We offer market-leading, innovative, legal advice to enable the NHS to focus on delivering high-quality, safe patient care.
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Independent Health
Our award winning team is the leading provider of legal advice to the UK independent health and social care sector. We offer tailored solutions to help our clients deliver high-quality care.
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MedTech and Digital Health
Our market-leading team supports MedTech and digital health organisations, from ambitious innovators to established global listed companies, at various stages of their life cycle.
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Social Care
Our experts provide trusted legal advice to a wide range of organisations operating within the social care sector, supporting them to deliver safe care that will withstand legal, regulatory and public scrutiny, whilst also growing and developing their own organisation.
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Health Infrastructure
Our infrastructure and projects team is at the forefront of advising clients on strategic healthcare infrastructure projects.
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Mental Health
We provide specialist, practical and tailored legal advice for mental health service providers and commissioners, with a 24-hour accessible service.
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Health Charities and Not for Profit Providers
We’re passionate about the charity sector and have a deep understanding of the charity and not for profit regulatory environment as well as the wider health and social care sector.
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