Speakers: Kevin Dent KC, 5 St Andrew’s Hill
Alecsandra Manning-Rees, 5 St Andrews Hill
Dinah Godfree, Policy Manger, Professional Standards Authority
Chair: Lauren Griffiths, MDDUS
Lucy Letby is one of Britain’s most notorious serial killers and in light of her conviction in August 2023 of the murder of seven babies, a public inquiry is underway into how the neonatal nurse was able to get away with the attacks for so long.
In this webinar, the speakers will discuss the wider ramifications of the Letby scandal and its potential to push for change. Management structures and senior leadership are often blamed for mismanagement of hospital staff and resources, yet outside of the usual employment ramifications there is very little to stop a manager from continuing their career, unlike the regulatory consequences for doctors and nurses. The speakers will discuss and pose the question: Should non-medically qualified managers also be subject to regulatory regimes and what could this look like?
Kevin Dent KC is a highly persuasive advocate with a calm, measured, yet robust courtroom manner. Kevin took silk in 2019, building upon his heavyweight practice in the fields of financial crime and serious crime and is ranked in the Legal 500 for Fraud: Crime. Kevin has an established practice within the field of professional discipline, with particular emphasis on cases involving probity and fraud, drawing upon his ample experience of criminal cases involving medical professionals.
Alecsandra Manning-Rees has extensive experience of Regulatory and Professional discipline cases and is ranked as a “Rising Star” within the Legal 500 and is also recognised in Chambers and Partners, as “Up and Coming” in the field of Regulatory and Professional Discipline. Her practice extends to both presenting cases on behalf of Regulators and defending Registrants. She is noted for sensitive witness handling, ably navigating paper-heavy caseloads and highly effective cross-examination.
Dinah Godfree has been working in professional regulation in health and social care for fifteen years and has been with the Professional Standards Authority (PSA) for twelve of those. She has worked on multiple high-profile publications by the PSA, including Right-touch regulation (2015), and Safer Care for All (2022). She is an expert on regulatory policy development and regulatory reform and has been tasked with leading the PSA’s work on the question of NHS manager regulation.
Lauren Griffiths is a Lawyer at the Medical and Defence Union of Scotland, and practices in professional regulation and disciplinary matters, coroner’s inquests, and clinical negligence. She previously worked as a lawyer at the General Dental Council.