Why health and care professionals trust Kings View Chambers
With over 30 years combined experience, Kings View Chambers have established itself as one of the best when it comes to fitness to practise defence.
Our Case Success
We pride ourselves on being one of the best in the business of defending health and care professionals facing fitness to practise (FtP) investigations and hearings. We specialise in FtP defence and representation, making us experts in this field. We thoroughly understand the fitness to practise processes of all the health and care regulators. With this, we are regularly successful in achieving ‘no case to answer’ for clients without the need for full, expensive and adversarial hearings.
When, however, cases do progress to a full hearing, health and care professionals can have confidence in our case success.
Compassion and Understanding
We fully understand that fitness to practise defence is not merely about processes and procedures. We also understand that we are working with people who are anxious and worried about what investigations might mean for them, their professions and the reputations.
We never lose sight of the human aspects of FtP investigations and hearings. We will always give an open and honest assessment of cases, but we will marry that with an approach that also supports health and care professionals through the duration of a case.
“I was not optimistic about the case, I felt that it is a lost case that we couldn’t do much about and especially just before the start of the trial I lost my confidence and was very nervous. Mr McCaffrey was there to prove me wrong. He turned everything around in a victorious , panegyric manner. I was stunned.” – CL
What Our Clients Say
We are proud to be rated ‘excellent’ by our clients. Our commitment to client care is genuine in both seeking the very best outcomes for them, but also ensuring we do what we can to support them through the process.
We are thankful to all those who have taken the time to share their experiences of working with us. You can read them all on our Trustpilot page. Below are a few recent reviews:
“I know we are human and do make mistakes. But that one mistake can ruin your entire life. Hence, hire best in the business to represent yourself in any regulatory board. Immensely grateful to Kings View.” – MA
“They accepted my case in a difficult situation with a time pressure limit. They reassured me from the first session that they were confident to win it. I was under the impression from the previous barrister that my case will be lost. I would most likely end being suspended for at least a year. Kings View managed to study it in a short period of time. They were able to change the outcome and won the case for me. They proved to me beyond any doubt that they were very professional with long years of experience.” – CM
“I would not hesitate in the slightest to recommend Kings View, they are truly excellent at what they do!” – Z
Represented by the Best
Kings View are jointly headed up by fitness to practise defence barristers, Catherine Stock and Stephen McCaffrey with over 30 years combined experience.
Both Catherine and Stephen are specialists in healthcare law and regulation. As a leading regulatory law barristers, they have vast experience in defending all healthcare professionals in all courts and tribunals ranging from doctors, nurses, midwives, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals including paramedics and social workers.
“Catherine and Stephen have razor-sharp legal brains, worked as a team, and provided me with a clear and concise strategy to approach the hearing. They helped me to construct a robust defence of my position. In the end, the outcome was much better than expected.” – NR
“There are no words to describe how grateful I am to Catherine and Stephen for helping me with my case. I had over 20 lawyers in the past and Catherine and Stephen are the best of all without question.” – GC
“You may be currently trawling sites for professional regulatory Barristers. I encourage you all to look no further. Barristers Ms Catherine Stock and Mr Stephen McCaffrey are no less than excellent”. – M
The Whole Package
Kings View are more than just lawyers, they are also trainers and facilitators. As part of our support for clients, Kings View also offers a range of remediation training packages through Insight Works Training.
Insight Works Training helps health and care professionals gain a clear and easy to follow understanding of the regulatory process, explanation of the central role of impairment, how to approach insight and remediation, how to evidence this at your hearing and a directed approach to presenting your learning with evidence in writing and verbally.
The training and coaching is delivered by both leading healthcare experts with years of experience in mentoring and coaching who also sit on regulatory tribunal panels and, leading legal experts in the field of defence at health and social care regulatory tribunals.
What you can Expect when Instructing Kings View
All clients are entitled to an initial, no obligation and free telephone consultation about their case. During this consultation, we will outline the stages and next steps, including indicative timeframes and fixed price quotations for preparation and representation and confirmed in writing at each and every stage.
We understand that timescales are entirely dependent on the stage you are at in proceedings, what work needs to be done and dictated by internal investigations or hearing dates. We always meet those timescales however should more time be needed, then we will apply for such on your behalf and with your permission.
Is legal representation the answer?
It is widely accepted and proven that legal representation makes a real difference to the outcome of investigations and results in lesser sanctions for doctors.
What is also unquestionably clear is that GMC investigations and MPTS hearings are complex, daunting, prolonged and legalistic leaving doctors stressed and anxious. Where legal advice and representation can have the biggest impact on this, is helping doctors understand the process, what to expect and how to engage with the GMC during an investigation and hearing.
Research has shown that registrant’s engagement and legal representation can impact on decisions about seriousness, and that the lack of legal representation has been identified as being associated with more severe sanctions outcomes in fitness to practise cases, stating:
“Legal representation was seen as important by participants because legal advice could support and guide registrants through the FtP process, which is complex and legalistic. Legal advice was seen as important in aiding registrants to understand regulators’ expectations, especially in terms of the need for registrants to demonstrate insight and perhaps to show evidence of remediation activities. Lack of legal representation was, therefore, seen to potentially have an impact in terms of the seriousness of the outcome for registrants who are perhaps unaware of how to present their case to best effect.”
A compassionate approach to legal representation
The right legal advice and representation is not just about the legalities and technicalities of a case. Our barristers fully understand the stress and anxiety that doctors experience during prolonged GMC investigations.
We also understand that we are working with people who are anxious and worried about what investigations might mean for them, their professions and the reputations.
We never lose sight of the human aspects of FtP investigations and hearings. We will always give an open and honest assessment of cases, but we will marry that with an approach that also supports health and care professionals through the duration of a case.
“I was not optimistic about the case, I felt that it is a lost case that we couldn’t do much about and especially just before the start of the trial I lost my confidence and was very nervous. Mr McCaffrey was there to prove me wrong. He turned everything around in a victorious , panegyric manner. I was stunned.” – CL
Catherine is professional, empathic and very knowledgeable. She provided all the necessary assistance throughout the long thorough investigation. – AR
A colleague recommended me to Catherine. She was very experienced , professional, empathetic , non-judgemental and listened to me. – Mel
I found myself consumed with dark thoughts, isolated and afraid. Stephen worked with me and slowly but surely formulated a plan not to just to fight my case and win, but to build me back up bit by bit so as to prepare me to face external scrutiny and present with confidence to panels where this was necessary. – FJ
What you can Expect when Instructing Kings View
All clients are entitled to an initial, no obligation and free telephone consultation about their case. During this consultation, we will outline the stages and next steps, including indicative timeframes and fixed price quotations for preparation and representation and confirmed in writing at each and every stage.
We understand that timescales are entirely dependent on the stage you are at in proceedings, what work needs to be done and dictated by internal investigations or hearing dates. We always meet those timescales however should more time be needed, then we will apply for such on your behalf and with your permission.
Disclaimer: This article is for guidance purposes only. Kings View Chambers accepts no responsibility or liability whatsoever for any action taken, or not taken, in relation to this article. You should seek the appropriate legal advice having regard to your own particular circumstances.
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