Gill has 20+ years of experience providing practical and tailored advice to health and social care providers on the rapidly changing legal and regulatory framework within which they operate. She supports providers in managing CQC, criminal, and other regulatory scrutiny, represents providers in high- profile Court of Protection, High Court, inquests, and tribunal proceedings, and advises on clinical governance and patient safety.

Gill leads our national mental health team and works closely with providers in the mental health sector advising on the difficulties associated with the complex and overlapping Mental Capacity and Mental Health jurisdictions. She supports providers in the delivery of safe, high quality services and in responding to legal and regulatory incidents, complaints, and CQC criticism. This minimises the impact on patient care, workforce morale, and finances, often under intense media and public scrutiny.

Gill leads the national training service for healthcare professionals, is a visiting lecturer on the Mental Health and Medical Law LLM courses at Northumbria University, and also sits on the medical ethics committee for South Tyneside and Sunderland NHSFT.

Featured expertise:

• Representing an NHS mental health Trust in the first successful defence of a Regulation 12 CQC prosecution. The Trust was prosecuted in respect of an inpatient ligature death and the court was persuaded that, notwithstanding the tragic incident, the planning and provision of care did not constitute a criminal breach of the duty to provide safe care and treatment.

• Supporting a number of mental health providers in their preparation for 'well-led' inspection by the CQC, including training, facilitated reflective board sessions, review of policies and procedures, and the preparation of 'well-led' document packs.

• Advising mental health providers on the practical implications of the 'Right Care, Right Person' national partnership agreement and the implications for providers of the reduction in police support and involvement for certain patient groups.

Quotations:

• “Gillian is very academic, but her ability to then speak to the client in straightforward terms is valuable.”Chambers and Partners UK 2025, Mental Health