Disabled woman called ‘lying bitch’ by welfare official awarded £5,000 – The Guardian

‘A disabled woman has been awarded £5,000 in an out-of-court settlement after being called a “lying bitch” by a welfare official in formal legal papers after challenging a decision to cut her disability benefits.’

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The Guardian, 12th December 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Council fined £500k after first prosecution by CQC over failure to provide safe care – Local Government Lawyer

‘Derbyshire County Council has been fined £500,000 following the first prosecution that the Care Quality Commission has brought against a local authority since the watchdog was given powers to prosecute health and social care providers for failing to provide safe care and treatment in 2015.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 10th December 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

School launches legal proceedings after receiving ‘inadequate’ rating from Ofsted – Local Government Lawyer

Posted December 6th, 2019 in appeals, education, news, standards by sally

‘A school in Trafford has issued a legal challenge to regulator Ofsted in a bid to overturn being rated as ‘inadequate’.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 15th December 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

BSB publishes research into barristers’ attitudes to the revised CPD scheme – Bar Standards Board

‘The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published a report on the impact of its revised approach to regulating barristers’ Continuing Professional Development (CPD). It finds that most barristers welcome the revised scheme’s greater flexibility but lack understanding about the role of reflection in maintaining professional standards.’

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Bar Standards Board, 3rd December 2019

Source: www.barstandardsboard.org.uk

Police referred to standards watchdog over death of 12-year-old boy killed outside school – Daily Telegraph

‘Police investigating a hit and run outside a school tonight referred themselves to the standards watchdog over their “previous contact” with the murder suspect.’

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Daily Telegraph, 3rd December 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Camden Council obtains first rogue landlord banning order in London – Local Government Lawyer

‘Camden Council is reported to have obtained London’s first rogue landlord banning order against a man who repeatedly placed tenants’ lives at risk through letting unsafe housing.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 26th November 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Targeting of Supt Robyn Williams ‘example of Met institutional racism’ – The Guardian

‘The pursuit of a senior officer under paedophile laws when she is not a sex offender is discriminatory and an example of institutional racism still poisoning the police force, the Black Police Association has claimed.’

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The Guardian, 26th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Doctors may face suspension over NHS ‘worst maternity scandal’ – The Guardian

‘Doctors who saw but did not report babies and mothers receiving poor care during the NHS’s worst maternity scandal could be suspended or struck off, the General Medical Council has warned. The medical profession’s regulator has asked NHS bosses for details of any doctor they believe may have ignored their professional duty to raise the alarm about threats to patient safety at the Shrewsbury and Telford NHS hospital trust (SaTH).’

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The Guardian, 20th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Man died in immigration detention after staff ‘dismissed’ stroke as sign he had taken spice – The Independent

‘A man died in immigration detention after medical staff “dismissed” signs that he was having a stroke because they wrongly presumed that he had taken spice, an inquest has concluded.’

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The Independent, 12th November 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

City watchdog slams own staff’s ‘shameful’ toilet habits – BBC News

Posted November 13th, 2019 in financial services ombudsman, news, ombudsmen, professional conduct, standards by sally

‘City of London regulators tasked with mucking out the financial stables have been making a “shameful” mess of their own, it has emerged.’

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BBC News, 13th November 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Law degrees unnecessarily homogenous, research finds – Legal Futures

Posted November 11th, 2019 in legal education, news, standards, universities by sally

‘Law schools are not taking advantage of the “enormous regulatory freedom” they have and instead are largely all offering the same kind of law degree, new research has found.’

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Legal Futures, 11th November 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Public inquiry launched into abuse at Brook House immigration detention centre – The Independent

Posted November 7th, 2019 in detention, immigration, inquiries, news, ombudsmen, police, professional conduct, standards by tracey

‘A public inquiry has been launched into allegations of abuse at the Brook House immigration detention centre.’

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The Independent, 6th November 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Outcomes for children in custody worse than a decade ago, says report – The Guardian

Posted November 5th, 2019 in children, news, prisons, recidivists, rehabilitation, standards, statistics, young offenders by sally

‘The government has failed to capitalise on the “remarkable” fall in the number of children in youth custody, with outcomes for those sent to prison worse than a decade ago, a report has found.’

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The Guardian, 5th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

The new SRA Standards and Regulations: Greater freedom for solicitors? – 4 New Square

‘In this article, Helen Evans and Clare Dixon of 4 New Square review whether the new principles, codes of conduct and disciplinary procedure rules wholeheartedly reflect a relaxation of the SRA’s grip, or whether competing forces are apparent. They also consider whether one of the unintended consequence of some of the liberalisation is to introduce a two-tier regulatory system for solicitors practising within regulated entities (such as firms) and those outside that structure. Finally, they reflect on the likely impact of the new rules and relaxed burden of proof on the troublesome issues of dishonesty and lack of integrity- an issue that the Divisional Court was still picking apart as recently as last week in the matter of SRA v Siaw.’

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4 New Square, 21st October 2019

Source: www.4newsquare.com

BAT faces landmark legal case over Malawi families’ poverty wages – The Guardian

‘Human rights lawyers are preparing to bring a landmark case against British American Tobacco on behalf of hundreds of children and their families forced by poverty wages to work in conditions of gruelling hard labour in the fields of Malawi.’

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The Guardian, 31st October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

One in five cosmetic surgery clinics are unsafe, warns CQC – The Guardian

Posted October 30th, 2019 in cosmetic surgery, health & safety, news, ombudsmen, quality assurance, standards by sally

‘The health regulator is threatening to shut down beauty clinics that perform unsafe facelifts, nose jobs and breast enlargements after finding that one in five are putting clients at risk.’

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The Guardian, 29th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Grenfell inquiry: key questions answered – The Guardian

‘Why was it set up, why is it split into two parts and why are some people unhappy with it?’

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The Guardian, 29th October 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Introduction to the SRA’s 2019 Standards and Regulations – 4 New Square

Posted October 29th, 2019 in news, regulations, solicitors, Solicitors Regulation Authority, standards by sally

‘On 25 November 2019 the SRA’s new Standards and Regulations will come into force. In many respects the substance of what is expected of the profession will remain much the same, but the new regime will see major changes to the regulations and rules through which those expectations are expressed and will be enforced. Both practising solicitors and those involved in advising them on their regulatory obligations must familiarise themselves with what will change. The aim of this series is to highlight the major changes and give some thoughts on what their implications may be.’

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4 New Square, 14th October 2019

Source: www.4newsquare.com

AQA could face class action suit from parents of children who were possibly given ‘incorrect’ grades – Daily Telegraph

‘The UK’s biggest exam board could face class action from parents, following revelations that answers were being “remarked” by the same examiners.’

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Daily Telegraph, 16th October 2019

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Barristers warned over social media misuse “at all times” – Legal Futures

‘Barristers who use social media inappropriately will face disciplinary action even if they believe they are doing so in their private capacity, the Bar Standards Board has warned.’

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Legal Futures, 21st October 2019

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk