AvMA 35th Anniversary Gala Dinner

A number of lawyers from the BL Claims Solicitors Clinical Negligence department were fortunate enough to be invited to the AvMA 35^th Anniversary Gala Dinner on Friday evening at the Grand Connaught rooms in London.

AvMA stands for Action against Medical Accidents and is the primary charity promoting patient safety across the UK and supporting patients and their families, who have not received the service or outcome that they had expected. The charity campaigns on a number of incredibly important and pertinent issues. Their work has helped to bring in the Duty of Candour that now underlies all NHS Trusts and the charity regularly engages with government consultations on patient safety, healthcare regulation and access to justice issues. You can find out more here.

Many of the members of the clinical negligence team have been involved in supporting AvMA events for many years. A number of our team give their time to cover the AvMA helpline for a few hours each month, including our two in-house nurses. I myself recall attending the AvMA 25^th Anniversary celebration dinner, which although causing me some consternation at the rapid passage of time, shows the enduring links that I and the firm have had with AvMA over the years.

Friday evening was a true celebration of the achievements that AvMA has had over the past 35 years including some moving speeches, excellent entertainment and first class company. Patricia Wakeford and I were fortunate enough to be invited as guests of 12 King’s Bench Walk, a barristers chambers with an impressive clinical negligence team, whilst colleagues from our London team enjoyed the evening courtesy of Evolution Costs and 1 Chancery Lane.

Congratulations to the AvMA chief executive Peter Walsh and all the AvMA team and volunteers for hosting a wonderful evening to raise money for an extremely worthwhile cause.