David Morris

Call 1976

David Morris | Call 1976

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Overview

David Morris has for many years represented health professionals and both NHS hospital trusts and private hospitals at coroners’ inquests. He is acutely aware of the sensitivity of these hearings and the difficulties his clients meet. They often have to face unfair accusations of gross negligence and neglect which the deceased’s family have come firmly to believe. He aims to present their case fairly but firmly before the court, to correct misapprehension and to minimise the risk of critical conclusions by the court and further disciplinary action by regulators.

Inquests & Inquiries

“He displays the ability to master complex information coupled with superior advocacy skills and the ability to relate well to, and gain the confidence of, the individuals whom he represents”
Chambers & Partners

David recently represented a GP practice one of whose GPs failed to recognise a clear indicator of severe bacterial infection and persisted in treating the patient for the provisional diagnosis of polymyalgia rheumatica rather than prescribing antibiotics for what was developing sepsis.  The coroner accepted David’s submission that the GP’s admitted error of clinical judgment did not amount to a gross failure to provide basic medical attention and therefore did not justify a finding of Neglect.

Cases and work of note

David has represented doctors from a broad range of specialties who have faced criticism for contributing to or causing the deaths of patients:

  • Consultant anaesthetist at a world leading fertility clinic who allowed egg extraction surgery to proceed when the patient had high blood pressure as a result of poorly controlled hypertension.  The coroner accepted David’s submission that the anaesthetist had adopted the least worst option open to him.
  • Consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist who wrongly excluded a possible diagnosis of twisted bowel and persisted with conservative treatment.
  • Consultant dermatologist: suicide of a young man suffering from the psychiatric side effects of Roaccutane, a drug given for severe acne.
  • Consultant paediatrician: death of a young child from non-accidental injury following discharge from hospital after treatment for unexplained injuries.
  • General practitioners: separate Inquests into the deaths of patients following inadequate monitoring for side effects of methotrexate, a drug given for rheumatoid arthritis.
  • General practitioners: separate Inquests into the deaths of patients following avoidable ‘Never Events’ of giving 10 times too much drug through prescribing error.

David represented a private psychiatric hospital group whose patient
committed suicide with a belt she had concealed in her room as the ligature. The Coroner found a number of failings in care but David dissuaded her:
i) from concluding that the hospital was guilty of neglect; and
ii) from her expressed view that a Prevention of Future Death report was required by convincing her that the hospital had taken all reasonable steps to remedy its deficiencies.

In addition to private and NHS Trust hospitals David has also represented a pharmacy and  local authorities’ Adult Social Care and Social Services departments.