Infected Blood Inquiry - Heather Arlidge
Sir Brian Langstaff’s long-awaited report into the Infected Blood Scandal will be handed down today at Westminster Central Hall
Published: 20th May 2024
Heather is a specialist medical law practitioner, practicing in personal injury, clinical negligence, and coroners’ inquests. She also practices in public law, particularly in matters regarding prisons and the secure estate.
Heather’s practice is currently dominated by the Covid-19 Public Inquiry, in which she is instructed as junior counsel to Module 2A, investigating the core decision making and political governance in and concerning Scotland. Heather was heavily involved in the high-profile oral hearings in Edinburgh in early 2024; her involvement in the Inquiry continues.
Heather is also currently instructed as junior counsel on behalf of the Scottish infected and affected core participants in the Infected Blood Inquiry, which is frequently referred to as the UK’s largest ever public inquiry into the NHS’ biggest treatment disaster.
Away from public inquiries, Heather continues to accept instructions across her practice areas.
Prior to joining Chambers, Heather worked for two well-known insurance law firms in London, where she was instructed in almost every conceivable type of claim that might be expected in a defendant insurance practice. Although the focus of her practice is now medical, her broad common-law experience means she continues to receive instructions in matters such as construction claims and contractual disputes.
Inquests
Heather is the head of the Inquests team at 42BR Barristers.
The majority of Heather’s coronial work involves inquests heard with juries; she is familiar with the particular issues arising in Article 2 inquests, being regularly instructed in inquests touching on deaths occurring within the secure estate. She also has experience in matters involving health and safety legislation, acting for families, companies, and local authorities.
Heather also regularly appears in non-jury inquests. She is instructed by families, NHS trusts, insurance companies and individual interested parties in inquests into, for example, road traffic accidents, care home deaths, and deaths in hospitals.
Recent work
- Acting for a security contractor in a hospital; the deceased absconded from hospital following preliminary assessment in Accident and Emergency. The jury reached a conclusion of suicide (2024)
- Acting for the family of a patient who was under mental health care in the community. The deceased took her own life. (2024)
- Acting for a private GP provider who was made an interested party to the inquest into the death of a patient (2023)
- Acting for the family of a patient in a care home who was left unassisted, contrary to his care plan, and fell, sustaining fatal injuries (2021)
Inquiries
Heather has experience of acting as Counsel to the Inquiry, and Counsel for Core Participants.
She is currently instructed in 2 high-profile and long-running inquiries.
- Infected Blood Inquiry (Sir Brian Langstaff): representing Haemophilia Scotland, the Scottish Infected Blood Forum, and approximately 200 individual core participants. Sir Brian’s final report is expected in May 2024; the Inquiry has attracted considerable political and media attention.
- Covid-19 Inquiry (Baroness Heather Hallett): counsel to the inquiry, module 2A. Heather was heavily involved in the oral hearings in early 2024 and continues her work as part of the team investigating political and administrative governance and decision making in and concerning Scotland.
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