Andrea James

Andrea has extensive experience advising healthcare professionals and NHS bodies on Fitness to Practise investigations and MHPS procedures. 

• Dr Odes v General Medical Council [2010] EWHC 552 (Admin) 
• Dr Reddy v General Medical Council [2012] EWCA Civ 310 
• Dr Aga v General Medical Council [2012] EWHC 782 (Admin) 
• Professional Standards Authority for Health & Social Care v HCPC & Christopher Wood [2019] EWHC 2819 (Admin) 
• Professional Standards Authority for Health & Social Care v HCPC & Andrew Roberts [2020] EWHC 1906 (Admin) 

Andrea is an expert in NHS England processes including Performers Lists and market entry procedures—guiding clinicians through applications, disputes, and appeals. 

• R (on the application of Pharmacy Care Plus Ltd) v Family Health Services Appeals Unit [2013] EWHC 824 (Admin) 
• R (on the application of The National Pharmacy Association) v The Secretary of State for Health [2017] EWHC 1147 (Admin) 
• R (on the application of Well Pharmacy) v The Welsh Ministers & Others [2017] EWHC 1983 (Admin) 
• Pharmacy2U Limited v The National Pharmacy Association [2018] EWHC 3408 (Ch) 
• R (on the application of the National Pharmacy Association) v The Secretary of State for Health [2018] EWCA Civ 1925 

Andrea James is an expert in professional discipline and regulation who defends teachers before the Teaching Regulation Agency and advises both teachers and education providers on a broad range of regulatory processes ranging from LADO to DBS. 

• Defended teachers from a number of the UK’s leading public schools in NCTL and Teaching Regulation Agency proceedings arising from allegations ranging from exam cheating to alcohol misuse to failure to maintain appropriate professional boundaries. 100% record of success in avoiding the imposition of a Prohibition Order and/or Interim Prohibition Order. 
• Advised a red-brick university throughout the conduct of fitness to practise and disciplinary proceedings against a medical lecturer who had committed plagiarism in their international research publications. 
• Represented a Choir School’s Director of Music in both a Diocesan investigation and DBS ‘minded to bar’ proceedings, resulting in no barring. 
• Acted for medical, pharmacy and paramedic science students in appeals against university decisions to terminate their studies for reasons ranging from exam cheating to adverse health to convictions. 
• Successfully challenged the NCTL’s legal jurisdiction to pursue proceedings against a teacher who had not been engaged in teaching at the time of their alleged misconduct. 
• Successfully defended an Oxbridge student in University fitness to practise proceedings. Returned to studies following 18 month suspension. 
• Represented a senior teacher and housemaster at a top independent school in Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) proceedings following his dismissal due to safeguarding/violence allegations. Following detailed submissions as to why the legal test for a Prohibition Order was not made out, secured a discontinuance of the TRA case against him.

Andrea James is an expert in professional discipline and healthcare regulatory law. She defends professionals at fitness to practise proceedings before regulators such as the GMC and advises on a broad range of non-disciplinary matters ranging from Inquests to CQC.

•  Successfully defended a Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon and NHS Medical Director in MHPS proceedings and then before the GMC in connection with multiple allegations of misconduct and deficient professional performance arising from undertaking private work whilst second on call. 
• Represented a paramedic in the first fitness to practise case arising from delayed patient treatment due to lack of appropriate PPE during the Covid-19 pandemic. The case attracted widespread national and international attention. Ultimately established that the paramedic’s actions did not amount to misconduct. 
• Successfully conducted a Medical Act section 40 High Court appeal against the GMC, overturning a finding that the doctor (a Consultant Anaesthetist) was culpable for his actions whilst suffering from an episode of psychosis caused by an adverse reaction to prescribed medication. 
• Defending a Superintendent Pharmacist before the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), in a case arising from over £1.05m worth of prescription drugs from the client’s pharmacy being sold on the black market. GPhC hearing concluded with no adverse findings or action against our pharmacist client. 
• Defended a Radiographer before the HCPC in connection with lack of competence allegations regarding 146 patients – no impairment found. 
• Acted for doctors in specialisms including Psychiatry, Trauma & Orthopaedic Surgery and Cardiothoracic Surgery to overturn the GMC’s refusal of their applications for specialist registration/CESR. 
• Successfully conducted a high-profile Judicial Review against NHS England, challenging its interpretation of the NHS (Pharmaceutical and Local Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 2013. The case has been described as of ‘wide national significance’. 
• Represented numerous specialty trainee doctors in successfully challenging ARCP Outcome 3/4 decisions and adverse CSA results. 
• Retained healthcare regulatory solicitor to the UK’s largest independent pharmacy chain, advising on all issues ranging from advertising of medicines to prescription direction. 
• Currently representing a Core Participant in the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry. 
• Represented one of the UK’s Top 50 providers of residential homes and hospitals for individuals with learning disabilities, mental health issues, behaviours that challenge and autism in CQC, HIW and NMC investigations – all resulting in no action against the provider or its staff. 
• Successfully challenging CQC Notices of Proposal and Notices of Decision for residential and nursing home providers across England, including many successful First Tier Tribunal appeals quashing CQC Notices of Decision to cancel registration. Instructed by both owners and third parties including restructuring and insolvency practitioners. 
• Represented a community pharmacy contractor in successfully appealing the decision of the NHS Business Services Authority to not reimburse the pharmacy’s additional costs incurred in responding to the COVID19 pandemic. On appeal to NHS Resolution, the Adjudicator preferred our interpretation of the relevant Drug Tariff Regulations and ordered the NHS Business Services Authority to repay our client in full – a sum exceeding £120,000. 
• Represented a senior paramedic in (i) an IOPC investigation, (ii) a complex Article 2 (Human Rights Act Right to Life) Inquest before a Jury and (iii) HCPC fitness to practise proceedings arising from the death of a detainee in Police custody. Succeeded in getting HCPC proceedings struck out as an abuse of process. 
• Successfully defended a Superintendent Pharmacist before the MHRA and General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC), in a case which ran from 2018 until the final Committee hearing in 2023 and concluded with no criminal charges or adverse regulatory findings. 
• Representing a private online healthcare provider and the GPs it employs in relation to an Inquest touching upon the death of a mental health patient who died after using the private provider’s service to acquire a duplicate prescription of medication already dispensed within the NHS. 

Recognised by The Legal 500 for Professional Discipline 2025-2026

Named in Thomson Reuters Stand-Out Lawyers List 2025 

Named in the Pro Bono Recognition List of England & Wales 2025 

Named in Thomson Reuters Stand-Out Lawyers List 2024 

Named in the Pro Bono Recognition List of England & Wales 2024 

Recognised in The Legal 500 2019 – 2024 for Health, Professional Discipline and Dispute Resolution 

Awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the College of Paramedics 

Committee member of the Pharmacy Law & Ethics Association 

Member of the Association of Regulatory & Disciplinary Lawyers 

Member of the Dental Law & Ethics Forum 

Member of The Medico-Legal Society