THOMPSON (by her mother as next friend) v HEALTH SERVICES AUTHORITY and ALEXANDER (Attorney General intervening)

• Jurisdiction: Cayman Islands
• Judge: (Williams, J.)
• Judgment Date: 24 April 2017
• Court: Grand Court (Cayman Islands)
• Date: 24 April 2017

Grand Court, Civil Division

(Williams, J.)

THOMPSON (by her mother as next friend)

and

HEALTH SERVICES AUTHORITY and ALEXANDER (Attorney General intervening)

J.A.D. Jones, Q.C. and K. Grandage for the plaintiff;

P. Bowen, Q.C. and M. Wingrave for the first defendant;

P. Bowen, Q.C. and Z. Hoskin for the second defendant;

S. Bulgin, Q.C., Attorney General, R. Sharma, Deputy Solicitor General and R. Hoare, Crown Counsel for the intervener.

Cases cited:

(1) A v. Hoare, [2006] EWCA Civ 395; [2006] 1 W.L.R. 2320; [2006] FLR 727; [2006] F.C.R. 673; [2006] Fam. Law 533, considered.

(2) Ashingdane v. United Kingdom, [1985] ECHR 8225/78; (1985), 7 E.H.R.R. 528; 81 ILR 107, considered.

(3) Athlumney, In re, ex p. Wilson, [1898] 2 Q.B. 547; [1895–9] All E.R. Rep. 329; (1898), 79 L.T. 303; 67 L.J.Q.B. 935; 5 Mans. 332; 47 W.R. 144, followed.

(4) Banel v. Lithuania, [2013] ECHR 558, considered.

(5) Bellinger v. Bellinger, [2003] UKHL 21; [2003] 2 A.C. 467; [2003] 2 W.L.R. 1174; [2003] 2 All E.R. 593; [2003] 1 FLR 1043; [2003] 2 F.C.R. 1; [2003] H.R.L.R. 22; [2003] UKHRR 679; (2003), 72 BMLR 147; 14 BHRC 127; [2004] 1 LRC 42, considered. (6) Binişan v. Romania, [2014] ECHR 496, considered.

(7) Byrzykowski v. Poland, [2006] ECHR 648; (2008), 46 E.H.R.R. 32; [2006] Lloyd’s Rep. Med. 505, considered.

(8) Calvelli v. Italy, [2002] ECHR 3, considered.

(9) Cojocaru v. Romania, [2016] ECHR 285, considered.

(10) Dodov v. Bulgaria, [2008] ECHR 43; (2008), 47 E.H.R.R. 41; [2009] MHLR 11, followed.

(11) Erikson v. Italy (2000), 29 E.H.R.R. CD152, considered.

(12) Janowiec v. Russia, [2013] ECHR 1003; (2014), 58 E.H.R.R. 30, considered.

(13) LCB v. United Kingdom, [1995] ECHR 101; (1999), 27 E.H.R.R. 212; 4 BHRC 447, considered.

(14) Laws v. Society of Lloyd’s, [2003] EWCA Civ 1887, considered.

(15) Lazzarini v. Italy, ECtHR, App. No. 53749/00, November 7th, 2002, unreported, referred to.

(16) Lopes de Sousa Fernandes v. Portugal, [2015] ECHR 1107, referred to.

(17) McCaughey, In re, [2011] UKSC 20; [2012] 1 A.C. 725; [2011] 2 W.L.R. 1279; [2011] 3 All E.R. 607; [2011] NI 122; [2011] H.R.L.R. 25; [2011] UKHRR 720, considered.

(18) McCoy v. Health Servs. Auth., Grand Ct., Cause No. G2/13, September 6th, 2013, unreported, referred to.

(19) McKerr, In re, [2004] UKHL 12; [2004] 1 W.L.R. 807; [2004] 2 All E.R. 409; [2004] NI 212; [2004] H.R.L.R. 26; [2004] UKHRR 385; (2004), 17 BHRC 68, referred to.

(20) Mastromatteo v. Italy, [2002] ECHR 694; [2003] 1 Prison L.R. 11, considered.

(21) Maurice v. France, [2005] ECHR 683; [2005] 3 F.C.R. 365, referred to.

(22) Nairne, In re, 2013 (1) CILR 345, referred to.

(23) Officer L, In re, [2007] UKHL 36; [2007] 1 W.L.R. 2135; [2007] 4 All E.R. 965; [2007] NI 277; [2007] H.R.L.R. 42; [2007] UKHRR 1023; (2007), 26 BHRC 169, referred to.

(24) Öneryildiz v. Turkey, [2004] ECHR 657; (2005), 41 E.H.R.R. 20; 18 BHRC 145, followed.

(25) Osman v. United Kingdom (1998), 29 E.H.R.R. 245; 5 BHRC 293; 11 Admin L.R. 200; [1999] 1 FLR 193; [1999] Crim. L.R. 82, distinguished.

(26) Oyal v. Turkey [2010] ECHR 369; (2010), 51 E.H.R.R. 30; 115 BMLR 1, considered.

(27) Pearson v. United Kingdom, [2011] ECHR 2319; (2012), 54 E.H.R.R. SE11, considered.

(28) Pepper (Inspector of Taxes) v. Hart, [1993] A.C. 593; [1992] 3 W.L.R. 1032; [1993] 1 All E.R. 42; [1992] STC 898; [1993] ICR 291; [1993] IRLR 33; [1992] BTC 591; [1993] 2 LRC 153, referred to.(29) Powell v. United Kingdom, [2000] ECHR 45305/99; (2000), 30 E.H.R.R. CD362, applied.

(30) R. (Humberstone) v. Legal Servs. Commn., [2010] EWCA Civ 1479; [2011] 1 W.L.R. 1460; (2010), 118 BMLR 79; [2011] Med. L.R. 56; [2011] H.R.L.R. 12; [2011] UKHRR 8, considered.

(31) R. (Keyu) v. Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs Secy., [2015] UKSC 69; [2016] A.C. 1355; [2015] 3 W.L.R. 1665; [2016] 4 All E.R. 794; (2015), 40 BHRC 228; [2016] H.R.L.R. 2, considered.

(32) R. (L (A Patient)) v. Justice Secy., [2008] UKHL 68; [2009] 1 A.C. 588; [2008] 3 W.L.R. 1325; [2009] 2 All E.R. 521; [2009] H.R.L.R. 9; [2009] UKHRR 415; (2008), 27 BHRC 24, applied.

(33) R. (M) v. Health Secy., [2003] EWHC 1094 (Admin); [2003] UKHRR 746; [2003] MHLR 348; [2003] A.C.D. 95, followed.

(34) R. (Takoushis) v. Inner North London Coroner, [2005] EWCA Civ 1440; [2006] 1 W.L.R. 461; (2006), 9 CCLR 90; 87 BMLR 149; [2006] Lloyd’s Rep. Med. 57, considered.

(35) Rabone v. Pennine Care NHS Trust, [2012] UKSC 2; [2012] 2 A.C. 72; [2012] 2 W.L.R. 381; [2012] 2 All E.R. 381; [2012] PTSR 497; [2012] H.R.L.R. 10; (2012), 33 BHRC 208; 124 BMLR 148; [2012] MHLR 66; [2012] Med L.R. 221, applied.

(36) Roche v. United Kingdom (2005), 42 E.H.R.R. 30; 20 BHRC 99, followed.

(37) Rowe v. Kingston-upon-Hull City Council, [2003] EWCA Civ 1281; [2003] E.L.R. 771; [2004] P.I.Q.R. P16, referred to.

(38) Rowley v. United Kingdom, [2005] ECHR 943, considered.

(39) S.B. v. Romania, [2014] ECHR 991, considered.

(40) Savage v. South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, [2008] UKHL 74; [2009] 1 A.C. 681; [2009] 2 W.L.R. 115; [2009] 1 All E.R. 1053; [2009] PTSR 469; [2009] H.R.L.R. 12; [2009] UKHRR 480; (2008), 27 BHRC 57; [2009] 1 MHLR 41, considered.

(41) Şentürk v. Turkey, [2013] ECHR 295; (2015), 60 E.H.R.R. 4; 35 BHRC 685, considered.

(42) Šilih v. Slovenia, [2009] ECHR 571; (2009), 49 E.H.R.R. 37, followed.

(43) T.P. v. United Kingdom, [2001] ECHR 332; (2002), 34 E.H.R.R. 2; [2001] 2 FLR 549; [2001] 2 F.C.R. 289; (2001), 3 LGR 52; [2001] Fam Law 590, considered.

(44) Vasileva v. Bulgaria, [2016] ECHR 273, followed.

(45) Vo v. France, [2004] ECHR 326; [2004] 2 F.C.R. 577; (2005), 40 E.H.R.R. 12; 17 BHRC 1; 79 BMLR 71, followed.

(46) Wilson v. First County Trust Ltd. (No. 2), [2003] UKHL 40; [2004] 1 A.C. 816; [2003] 3 W.L.R. 568; [2003] 4 All E.R. 97; [2003] H.R.L.R. 33; [2003] UKHRR 1085; [2004] 2 LRC 618, followed.

(47) X (Minors) v. Bedfordshire County Council, [1995] 2 A.C. 633; [1995] 3 W.L.R. 152; [1995] 3 All E.R. 353; [1995] 2 FLR 276, referred to.(48) Yew Bon Tew v. Kenderaan Bas Mara, [1983] 1 A.C. 553; [1982] 3 W.L.R. 1026; [1982] 3 All E.R. 833, considered.

(49) Z v. United Kingdom, [2001] ECHR 333; [2001] 2 FLR 612; [2001] 2 F.C.R. 246; (2002), 34 E.H.R.R. 3; 10 BHRC 384; (2001), 3 LGR 51; 4 CCLR 310; [2001] Fam Law 583, considered.

Legislation construed:

Health Services Authority Law (2003 Revision), s.12, as amended by the Health Services Authority (Amendment) Law 2004, s.2: The relevant terms of this section are set out at para. 15.

Health Services Authority Law (2010 Revision), s.12, as amended by the Health Services Authority (Amendment) Law 2016, s.2: The relevant terms of this section are set out at para. 20.

Interpretation Law (1995 Revision), s.25(2)(b): The relevant terms of this paragraph are set out at para. 50.

s.25(2)(c): The relevant terms of this paragraph are set out at para. 51.

s.25(2)(e): The relevant terms of this paragraph are set out at para. 52.

Cayman Islands Constitution Order 2009, s.5: The relevant terms of this section are set out at para. 54.

Schedule 2, Part 1, s.2: The relevant terms of this section are set out at para. 125.

Schedule 2, Part 1, s.3: “No person shall be subjected to torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”

Schedule 2, Part 1, s.7(1): “Everyone has the right to a fair and public hearing in the determination of his or her legal rights and obligations by an independent and impartial court within a reasonable time.”

Schedule 2, Part 1, s.9(1): “Government shall respect every person’s private and family life . . .”

Schedule 2, Part 1, s.17(1): “[T]he Legislature shall enact laws to provide every child and younger person under the age of eighteen . . . with such facilities as would aid their growth and development . . .”

Schedule 2, Part 1, s.23(1): The relevant terms of this sub-section are set out at para. 8.

Schedule 2, Part 1, s.25: The relevant terms of this section are set out at para. 16.

Schedule 2, Part 1, s.28: The relevant terms of this section are set out at para. 8, footnote 3.

Human Rights Act 1998 (c.42), s.22(4): The relevant terms of this sub-section are set out at para. 61.

Medicine—negligence—exclusion of liability—Health Services Authority and employees clearly exempted from liability for medical negligence by Health Services Authority Law (2003 Revision) (as amended by Health Services Authority (Amendment) Law 2004), s.12—as alleged liability concerned events pre-dating Bill of Rights, no declaration of incompatibility as Bill of Rights not retrospective

The plaintiff sought damages from the defendants for injuries caused to her as a result of the negligent medical care given to her at her birth.

The plaintiff was born in 2005 in a hospital run by the first defendant; the second defendant was the consultant obstetrician at the birth. It was alleged that the negligent care given by the defendants to the plaintiff at the time of her birth resulted in a number of serious injuries, including quadriplegia, microcephaly, cortical blindness and global developmental delay.

Proceedings were brought by the plaintiff’s mother as her next friend, seeking damages from the defendants. They submitted that s.12 of the Health Services Authority Law (2003 Revision) (as amended by the Health Services Authority (Amendment) Law 2004, s.2) (“the HSAL 2004”) excluded any liability in negligence. Section 12 provided:

“Neither the Authority, nor any director or employee of the Authority, shall be liable in damages for anything done or omitted in the discharge of their respective functions or duties unless it is shown that the act or omission was in bad faith.”

The Grand Court held that s.12 clearly exempted the Authority and its employees from liability (that decision is reported at 2016 (1) CILR 93). The judge adjourned the plaintiff’s application for a declaration that s.12 was incompatible with the Bill of Rights.

In June 2016, the Legislative Assembly passed the Health Services Authority (Amendment) Law 2016, which amended s.12 of the Health...