With more than 15 years’ experience in civil litigation, Kate has acted for clients in Royal Commissions and Commissions of Inquiry consistently since 2012. She also has expertise in health and medical law, and attained a Masters of Health and Medical Law from the University of Melbourne in 2010.
Kate acts for healthcare providers and practitioners in relation to pre-litigated and litigated medical negligence claims, coronial investigations and inquests and other statutory complaints processes (e.g. AHPRA). She also has a particular interest in bioethics and sits on the human ethics research committee for a major tertiary hospital as its legal member.
Having previously been seconded to a major tertiary hospital and two outer urban teaching hospitals as a legal counsel, Kate has acquired unique insight into the way the health care system is funded, organised, managed and operated.
Key deals
Royal Commissions, inquiries and inquests
Acted for clients in the Royal Commission into Misconduct in the Banking, Superannuation and Financial Services Industry (2017-2018), the Independent Review into Queensland’s Youth Detention Centres for Townsville Hospital and Health Service and its staff (2016-2017), the Barrett Adolescent Centre Commission of Inquiry for West Moreton Hospital and Health Service and its staff (2015-2016) and the Queensland Health Payroll Commission of Inquiry for the Director of the Queensland Health Enterprise Solutions team (2012-2013).
Department of Health
Acted for the Department of Health, its Hospital and Health Services and health practitioners and its insurers since 2007.
Investigations
Routinely investigates allegations of substandard care in informal (local) and formal (legislated) systems and process reviews, in the defence of pre-litigated and litigated medical negligence claims and in coronial investigations, inquests and statutory complaints processes e.g. HO and AHPRA.
Clinical service delivery issues
Advises clients in relation to clinical service delivery issues such as capacity, substitute decision making and end of life decision making, the management of adverse events, the management of practitioners involved in those events and negligence liability, applicable indemnity policies, insurance issues and risk mitigation and management and the development of policies, guidelines and procedures.