Sexual assault forensics centres failing some victims – BBC News

‘Young victims of sexual assault are not being forensically examined within a critical time period at some privately-run referral centres, a BBC investigation has found.’

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BBC News, 8th January 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Ofsted wins appeal over fairness of complaints procedures in special measures cases – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 7th, 2019 in appeals, complaints, education, news, standards by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has ruled that a judge was wrong to conclude that Ofsted’s complaints procedures were unfair in serious weakness/special measures cases, and that it was wrong to quash an inspection report.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 2nd January 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Most police forces fail to meet fingerprint evidence standards – The Guardian

Posted January 7th, 2019 in evidence, fingerprints, forensic science, news, police, standards by sally

‘Less than 10% of police forces have met basic quality standards for fingerprint evidence, the government’s forensic science regulator has warned.’

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The Guardian, 7th January 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Asylum seeker to sue UK for funding Libyan detention centres – The Guardian

Posted December 21st, 2018 in asylum, detention, immigration, Libya, news, standards by tracey

‘A teenage asylum seeker from Ethiopia is planning to sue the government for its role in funding detention centres in Libya, where he says he experienced physical abuse, extortion and forced labour.’

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The Guardian, 20th January 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

NICE launches new standards framework for digital health technologies – Technology Law Update

Posted December 18th, 2018 in health, news, standards by sally

‘The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) has launched new standards setting out the requirements needed to develop digital health technologies for the NHS.’

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Technology Law Update, 17th December 2018

Source: www.technology-law-blog.co.uk

Courts Bill: judges will decide what powers they farm out, says Gauke – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 29th, 2018 in bills, courts, judiciary, legal services, news, standards by tracey

‘The independence of the judiciary will be retained despite some of their functions being delegated to court staff without legal qualifications, the government has promised MPs.
Speaking yesterday during the second reading of the Courts and Tribunals (Judiciary and Functions of Staff) Bill, justice secretary David Gauke said measures will provide the flexibility and responsiveness needed within the court system.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 28th November 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Services at scandal-hit Shrewsbury and Telford hospitals ‘inadequate’ – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 29th, 2018 in codes of practice, hospitals, news, ombudsmen, pregnancy, standards by tracey

‘A hospital trust at the centre of a maternity care scandal has been criticised by health inspectors in a new report.’

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Daily Telegraph, 29th November 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Coventry supermarket death crash bus company fined £2.3m – BBC News

‘A bus company that ignored warnings about a driver who crashed into a supermarket, killing two people, has been fined £2.3m.’

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BBC News, 27th November 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

NHS to look into deaths of 100,000 mental health patients a year – The Guardian

‘The NHS is to start investigating the deaths of more than 100,0000 mental health patients a year in a drive to cut the number of fatalities linked to poor care.’

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The Guardian, 27th November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Woman who died in prison was left alone in cell after being found with ligatures around her neck, inquest finds – The Independent

‘“Deeply inadequate” prison procedures contributed to the death of a young woman who was left alone in her cell after being found with ligatures around her neck, an inquest has found.’

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The Independent, 20th November 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Judges handling difficult cases “given psychological support” – Litigation Futures

Posted November 19th, 2018 in case management, health & safety, Judaism, judiciary, mental health, news, standards by sally

‘Judges dealing with difficult caseloads are receiving annual one-to-one meetings with psychologists, the Lord Chief Justice has revealed.’

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Litigation Futures, 15th November 2018

Source: www.litigationfutures.com

NHS bosses failed to act over scandal-hit hospital where there were nearly 300 unexpected deaths, report finds – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 19th, 2018 in hospitals, news, quality assurance, standards, statistics by sally

‘NHS bosses failed to act over a scandal-hit hospital where there were nearly 300 unexpected deaths, a report has found.’

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Daily Telegraph, 18th November 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Supreme Court deals blow to second medical use patents – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 15th, 2018 in appeals, disclosure, intellectual property, medicines, news, patents, standards, Supreme Court by tracey

‘The Supreme Court today dismissed an appeal by pharmaceutical company Pfizer, in a case that should provide clarity on patent law surrounding claims for new medical uses for a protected drug. In judgment handed down this morning the court allowed an appeal by generic drug makers Actavis and Mylan. The decision means Pfizer’s patent covering a second medical use for its product is invalid.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 14th November 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Baby death review into scandal-hit NHS trust widens to 215 cases – Daily Telegraph

Posted November 14th, 2018 in birth, children, hospitals, news, standards by sally

‘A scandal-hit NHS trust where dozens of deaths are being investigated in order to protect mothers and babies has seen the number of cases of alleged poor care more than double to 215.’

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Daily Telegraph, 14th November 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

MoJ sets minimum standards to improve probation performance – Law Society’s Gazette

Posted November 12th, 2018 in contracting out, news, probation, standards by tracey

‘The government expects probation providers to offer monthly face-to-face meetings with offenders during the first year of supervision, the lord chancellor has told MPs concerned about the government’s approach to rehabilitation.’

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Law Society's Gazette, 9th November 2018

Source: www.lawgazette.co.uk

Shropshire baby deaths hospital trust in special measures – BBC News

Posted November 9th, 2018 in birth, children, hospitals, news, standards by tracey

‘A hospital trust being investigated over baby deaths and subject to repeated warnings over patient safety across two sites has been put into special measures.’

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BBC News, 8th November 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

CPS slammed over victim letter errors – BBC News

Posted November 8th, 2018 in Crown Prosecution Service, mistake, news, standards, statistics by tracey

‘Victims of crime have been sent too many letters containing spelling mistakes, wrong addresses and other errors, inspectors have found. Letters from the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) were deemed “unsatisfactory” with more than three quarters not properly written.’

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BBC News, 8th November 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Naomi McLoughlin Discusses the Recent Case of Surrey County Council v Hilliard (2018) – Park Square Barristers

‘The legal test in considering a breach of s41 remains to be found in James v Preseli Pembrokeshire DC [1993] PIQR P114 and Jones v Rhondda Cynon Taff CBC [2008] EWCA Civ 1497. Whilst the appellant was successful on the basis two pieces of evidence had not been considered with the correct weight, the lower Court had nonetheless applied the correct legal test.’

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Park Square Barristers, 30th October 2018

Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk

Car washes to be given kitemark scheme to crack down on modern slavery – Daily Telegraph

‘Car washes will be given a Kitemark-style scheme to crack down on modern slavery.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd October 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

BSB will be “held to account” over poor criminal advocacy – Legal Futures

Posted August 17th, 2018 in advocacy, barristers, news, quality assurance, standards by sally

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) was told yesterday that it will be held to account over how it deals with poor-quality criminal advocacy.’

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Legal Futures, 17th August 2018

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk