Ward Hadaway’s award-winning healthcare team shortlisted for three top accolades

Ward Hadaway’s award-winning healthcare team has been shortlisted for three top accolades which recognise innovation, customer focus and the best partnerships with the NHS.   

The firm will now go forward to the finals of the Health Service Journal Healthcare Partnership Awards 2019, LexisNexis Legal Awards and the Manchester Legal Awards.

Ward Hadaway has been shortlisted in the Law Firm Innovation category of the Manchester Legal Awards for the pioneering way it has helped NHS clients assess their operations and identify efficiency savings.

The 360 degree diagnostic legal review developed by Melanie Gavin, a barrister from the Manchester team, and her healthcare colleagues, led to the development of a tech-focused tool known as the ‘Knowledge and Legal Advice Centre’ – a smarter way of managing data to avoid duplication of legal spend.

Melanie has advised various NHS organisations over the years, assisting them with CQC inspections and best practice, providing practical recommendations for operations improvement and helping them to achieve efficiencies.

She said: “We are absolutely delighted that Ward Hadaway has once again been recognised for its role in partnering with the NHS to identify new ways of working and increase efficiency and effectiveness.”

Partner and Head of Public Sector, Melanie Pears and her team have also been shortlisted by both the Health Service Journal Healthcare Partnership Awards 2019 and LexisNexis and for their work on a PFI project from inception, during its operational period through disputes and ultimately its termination for default on the part of the PFI provider.

Melanie Pears added: “To have been shortlisted for two awards is fantastic and an endorsement of our approach and the expertise which we have within the firm. This project required significant specialist legal input across a wide range of disciplines, with an ability to work together as a team with the Trust client, other advisers and Department of Health officers.

“It shows that the vision and ambition of our clients to improve services and facilities is being recognised and rewarded because these awards recognise true team work to address a wide range of issues to achieve the best end result for the public sector.”

Jeffrey Keeble, Partner and Head of the 60-strong Healthcare team at Ward Hadaway, added: “We work with NHS organisations across the country day-in, day-out, so we know what kind of issues they face and the pressures under which they work.

“We are delighted with these recent award shortlistings as they are a reflection of the real partnership approach Ward Hadaway has and continues to have with the NHS.”

Last year, Ward Hadaway’s Healthcare team picked up the Client Management Innovation Award at the national Legal Week Awards in London.