FGH -v- Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (anonymity order)
Claim number: KB-2023-000984
In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Clinical negligence
11 May 2023
Before:
Clare Padley, sitting as a Deputy Judge of the High Court
Between:
FGH (A Protected Party by her Mother and Litigation Friend, RST)
-v-
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust
Order
BEFORE CLARE PADLEY, sitting as a Deputy Judge of the High Court in the Royal Courts of Justice on 11 May 2023
UPON HEARING Leading Counsel for the Claimant and the Defendant being neutral on the Claimant’s application for an anonymity order
WHEREAS, pursuant to CPR r. 39.2(4), the Court is satisfied that an order in the terms below is necessary to protect the interests of the Claimant and there is no sufficient countervailing public interest in disclosure.
IT IS HEREBY ORDERED PURSUANT to section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, Section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998 and CPR Rule 5.4A to 5.4D and CPR Rule 39.2:
- That the identity of the Claimant and the Litigation Friend not be disclosed.
- There be substituted for all purposes of this case, in place of references to the Claimant by name and whether orally or in writing, references to “FGH”. Likewise, the Litigation Friend shall be referred to as “RST”.
- That the Claimant and the Litigation Friend be described in all statements of case and other documents to be filed or served in the proceedings and in any judgment or order in the proceedings and in any report of the proceedings by the press or otherwise as “FGH” and “RST” respectively.
- A non-party may not, without the permission of a Master, inspect or obtain any copy statement of case or document from the court file unless it has been anonymised in accordance with this direction and there has been redacted any information which might identify the Claimant or the Litigation Friend. Any application for such permission (i.e. to inspect or obtain a non- anonymised version) must be made on notice to the Claimant and in accordance with CPR r. 5.4C (6) and the Court will effect service. The file is to be retained by the Court and marked “Anonymised”.
- That reporting restrictions apply as to the disclosing of any information that may lead to the subsequent identification of the Claimant or Litigation Friend. The publication of the name and address of the Claimant or of any member of the Claimant’s immediate family or the name and address of the Litigation Friend is prohibited.
- The provisions of this Order shall not apply:-
- to communications between the Court Funds Office and the anonymised party, his Deputy or Litigation Friend in relation to the payment of money into the Court Funds Office for the benefit of the anonymised party or the investment or treatment of payment out of such money;
- to communications between the Court Funds Office and/or the anonymised party, his Deputy or Litigation Friend and any financial institution concerned as to the receipt or investment of such money; or
- to records kept by the Court Funds Office or the anonymised party, his Deputy or Litigation Friend or any such financial institution in relation to such money.
- to retention by all parties to the claim, their representatives and their advisers of their unredacted files for the purpose of their continuing functions and obligations in relation to the proceedings.
- to communications between the Defendant(s), their insurers, or successors in title and their legal and professional advisers, reinsurers, HM Revenue and Customs (or its successor), the Compensation Recovery Unit or any other person required by law.
- to communications for the purpose of obtaining medical care, advice or treatment for the anonymised party.
7. That any non-party affected by this Order may apply on notice to all parties to have this Order set aside or varied.
8. A copy of this order shall be published on the Judicial Website of the High Court of Justice specifying that the Claimant shall be referred to as “FGH” and the Litigation Friend as “RST”.
9. Costs in case.