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Shannett Thompson
Shannett is a Senior Associate in the Regulatory Team providing regulatory advice predominantly in the health and social care sector. She is also a member of the private prosecutions team providing advice to individuals, business and charities in respect of prosecutions were traditional agencies are unwilling or unable to act.
Advice for doctors
Shannett advises doctors facing proceedings brought by the General Medical Council (GMC), representing individuals before the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS). Shannett often works with the criminal team when the allegations emanate from criminal convictions or cautions, or where a police investigation is on-going.
Having trained in the NHS and commenced her career exclusively defending doctors, Shannett is highly experienced in advising health and social care professionals in all aspects of their regulatory affairs; she brings a pragmatic and measured approach to cases. Often doctors investigated by the GMC for misconduct also face related investigations by their Trust or NHS England; we work closely with our employment team to ensure that the doctor’s on-going career is a pivotal consideration throughout an investigation.
Regulatory advice for businesses
Shannett advises health and wellbeing businesses across all aspects of their regulatory obligations, especially during start-up. She works closely with the corporate and commercial team to ensure clients receive the tailored advice they need.
Shannett advises care homes and primary care providers in relation to civil and criminal enforcement action threatened by the Care Quality Commission (CQC). Her approach is collegiate, pragmatic and focusses on getting the best result for clients in often difficult circumstances.
Medical cannabis
Shannett has been at the forefront of providing advice in the area of cannabis-based medicines, CBD and related licensing issues.
Private prosecutions
Shannett acts for businesses and charities in respect of prosecutions where traditional agencies are unwilling or unable to act. She advises in respect of the full range of offences.
She also assists victims of crime to challenge decisions not to prosecute.
Advice for regulators
As to her fitness to practise work for regulators, Shannett’s experience extends through the initial investigatory stages, interim orders, substantive hearings and appeals, across a range of healthcare regulators.
Shannett regularly speaks at external conferences on disciplinary issues and her articles have been published externally including in the Journal of Professional Negligence, Lexis Nexis and other professional publications. She was recognised by Brummel Magazine as ’30 Ones to Watch' list of London’s City stars for 2018.
REcent work
Shannett has acted in the following matters amongst others:
- On behalf of a nurse in respect of an appeal by the Professional Standards Authority;
- For a care home following adverse inspection reports and a notice to vary its registration by the Care Quality Commission;
- Successful defence of a doctor following dishonesty allegations relating to prescribing;
- Advising an individual on the legality of cannabis cultivation for medical purposes;
- Advising a entrepreneur on obtaining a licence for cannabis cultivation and distribution;
- For an accountant following concerns raised by the ACCA on use of the client account;
- On behalf of a nurse in an appeal to the Registration Appeals Committee after the Registrar denied her application for registration due to previous convictions;
- On behalf of a student doctor who was refused his medical certificate which would allow him to commence training;
- Successfully assisted a nurse to remain on the register despite allegations of dishonesty;
- On behalf of a regulator involving defamatory comments made by registrants on social media;
- Represented a doctor following a concern raised about his status involved in presenting television programmes.
Publications and articles
Shannett’s case summaries and blogs are often reported by Lexology.
- Victims’ Right to Review Scheme: does a victim have a right to make representation?
- CBD certification scheme to launch in the UK
- CQC guidance and what it means for care providers during the Coronavirus pandemic
- Regulatory advice for doctors amidst Coronavirus pandemic
- Coronation Street delves into the legal problems of the GP Good Samaritan
- Uber back in the news
- StaRs: Stand up and be accountable
- Misconduct: Managing disciplinary procedures in tandem with external processes – (co-authored with Clodagh Hogan) article in the Employment Law Journal, July 2019
- Paramedic drove unconscious patient to wrong hospital in car and made three stops, ITV news, October 2016
- Operating Department Practitioner struck off for making sexualised comments about colleagues, May 2014
- 'Paramedic who failed to take bleeding woman to hospital still fit to practise', Wales Online, January 2013
- 'Indian radiographer who could not speak English worked at cancer hospital for SIX YEARS before being sacked after string of complaints', The Mail Online, November 2012
- 'Paramedic who boasted on Facebook that he 'saved someone's life and managed to cop a feel of some cracking jubblies' is found guilty of misconduct', The Mail Online, April 2012
- 'Surgeon's 'right-hand man' struck off after being caught drunk as woman patient lay bleeding on operating table', The Mail Online, August 2011
