In Australia, medical negligence contributes to up to 18,000 deaths and more than 50,000 permanent injuries annually. The numbers are staggering, so take a deep dive into the current concerns in medical negligence claims. Examine issues arising from off-label medication, defective medical products, and the most complex or catastrophic claims, and gain practical insights into disciplinary matters and inquests.

Presenters

Seun Idowu, Partner, Hall & Wilcox
Seun works across the NSW and ACT jurisdictions and is a defendant insurance litigator with a speciality practice in health law, aged care and disability and sensitive issues including historical abuse. Seun provides her clients with proactive support on receipt of instructions including prompt investigation and early advice and recommendations designed to promote cost efficiency. Her rigorous approach to matters is tempered by her empathy. Her aim is to expeditiously resolve meritorious claims on best terms to the insurer and insured, and robustly defend unfounded and opportunistic claims. Prior to transitioning into private practice, Seun spent almost a decade working within the NSW public service including what was known as the Department of Ageing, Disability and Home Care. She provided legal and policy advice to Government and NGO stakeholders around issues concerning risk mitigation, ageing, disability, assault and trespass to vulnerable individuals, the National Disability Insurance Scheme, and home care.


Kate Hickey, Principal, Barry Nilsson
Kate has practiced exclusively in health law and professional indemnity for over 20 years, acting for a range of medical professionals and facilities. She has acted in defence of professional negligence injury claims and disciplinary matters, and is experienced in the defence of disciplinary complaints to the Australia Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, Health Care Complaints Commission and the related professional Council’s. She has also been asked to advise on risk management and has presented on this topic to a number of professional associations. Kate brings an intelligent approach to her claims work, developed during her time at a specialist medical negligence Sydney law firm where she acted for medical practitioners in professional indemnity and disciplinary proceedings. She has also acted on occasion in criminal proceedings brought against health practitioners. Kate has an extensive health law practice involving doctors, dentists, physiotherapists and private hospitals. She also represents doctors and other health practitioners in Inquests. She is a regular presenter at medico-legal risk management seminars and has been a key adviser to the Australian Dental Association across the country.


Dr Peter Cashman, Barrister, 3 Wentworth Chambers
Dr Peter Cashman is a barrister at 3 Wentworth Chambers in Sydney, former Professor of Law (Social Justice) University of Sydney Law School, currently Adjunct Professor, Faculty of Law & Justice, University of New South Wales. He was formerly: Commissioner in charge of the civil justice review with the Victorian Law Reform Commission; Commissioner jointly in charge (with Justice John Basten) of the reference on class actions with the Australian Law Reform Commission; founding Director of the Public Interest Advocacy Centre; founder and senior partner of the firm Cashman & Partners which merged with the Melbourne firm Maurice Blackburn & Co to form the national firm Maurice Blackburn Cashman (now Maurice Blackburn Pty Ltd); Governor of the American Trial Lawyers' Association (now the American Association for Justice) and National President of the Australian Plaintiff Lawyers' Association (now the Australian Lawyers Alliance). He holds a degree in law and a diploma in criminology from the University of Melbourne and a Master of Laws degree and a PhD from the University of London. He has practised law in the United Kingdom, the United States and Australia and is the author of numerous publications, including Class Action Law and Practice, The Federation Press, 2007.