J.D. v. East Berkshire Community Health NHS Trust et al., (2005) 337 N.R. 74 (HL)

• Case Date: April 21, 2005
• Jurisdiction: Canada (Federal)
• Citations: (2005), 337 N.R. 74 (HL)

J.D. v. Com. Health NHS Trust (2005), 337 N.R. 74 (HL)

MLB headnote and full text

Temp. Cite: [2005] N.R. TBEd. JN.023

JD (FC) (appellant) v. East Berkshire Community Health NHS Trust and others (respondents) and two other actions (FC)

([2005] UKHL 23)

Indexed As: J.D. v. East Berkshire Community Health NHS Trust et al.

House of Lords

London, England

Lord Bingham of Cornhill, Lord Nicholls of Birkenhead, Lord Steyn, Lord Rodger of Earlsferry and Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood

April 21, 2005.

Summary:

In three separate cases, either doctors or social workers, concluded that the children had been abused by their parents. The diag­no­sis turned out to be wrong in each case, the children actually suffering from differing medical conditions. The parents claimed that as a result of the false and negligent state­ments by the doctors and social workers they suffered psychiatric injury. The parents sued the health authorities which employed the doc­tors or social workers, claiming damages. The lower courts determined that in such a situation, no duty of care was owed by the doctors or social workers to the parents and accordingly the parents' claims were dis­missed. The parents appealed.

The House of Lords, Lord Bingham of Corn­hill, dissenting, dismissed the appeals, affirming the dismissal of the parents' claims. The court affirmed that the health care professionals owed no duty of care to the parents in these circumstances.

Medicine - Topic 4241.3

Liability of practitioners - Negligence or fault - Duty of care (incl. duty to relatives of plaintiff) - [See Torts - Topic 89.1 ].

Professional Occupations - Topic 6162

Social workers - Negligence - Duty of care - [See Torts - Topic 89.1 ].

Torts - Topic 89.1

Negligence - Duty of care - To parents - In three separate cases, either doctors or so­cial workers, concluded that the children had been abused by their parents - The diag­­nosis turned out to be wrong in each case, the children actually suffering from differ­ing medical conditions - The parents claimed that as a result of the false and negligent statements by the doctors and social workers they suffered psychiatric injury - The parents sued the health author­ities which employed the doctors or social workers, claiming damages - The House of Lords held that there was no duty of care owed to the parents by health professionals in these circumstances - Health care pro­fessionals had a duty to the child in mak­ing decisions on child abuse and these de­cisions should not be clouded by the impo­sition of a conflicting duty in favour of parents or to others suspected of having abused the child - In the result the law suits against the health authorities by the parents were dismissed.

Torts - Topic 8703

Duty of care - Particular relationships - Claims for nervous shock and emotional suf­fering - Psychiatric illness - [See Torts - Topic 89.1 ].

Torts - Topic 9157.2

Duty of care - Particular relationships - Claims against public officials, authorities or boards - Health authorities - [See Torts - Topic 89.1 ].

Cases Noticed:

Caparo Industries v. Dickman et al., [1990] 2 A.C. 605; [1990] 1 All E.R. 568; 108 N.R. 81 (H.L.), refd to. [paras. 2, 100].

X. Minors v. Bedfordshire County Council - see P1 et al. v. Bedfordshire County Council.

M. (A minor) v. Newham London Bor­ough Council - see P1 et al. v. Bedfordshire County Council.

P1 et al. v. Bedfordshire County Council, [1995] 2 A.C. 633; 185 N.R. 173 (H.L.), refd to. [paras. 21, 82, 112, 124].

Z. v. United Kingdom (2001), 34 E.H.R.R. 97, refd to. [para. 22].

T.P. and K.M. v. United Kingdom (2001), 34 E.H.R.R. 42, refd to. [para. 23].

S. v. Gloucestershire County Council, [2001] Fam. 313, refd to. [para. 24].

Osman v. United Kingdom (1998), 29 E.H.R.R. 245, refd to. [para. 25].

Hill v. Chief Constable of West York­shire, [1989] A.C. 53; 102 N.R. 241 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 25].

Barrett v. Enfield London Bourough Council, [2001] 2 A.C. 550 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 25].

Waters v. Commissioner of Metropolitan Police, [2000] 1 W.L.R. 1607, refd to. [para. 25].

W. v. Essex County Council, [2001] 2 A.C. 592, refd to. [para. 25].

Phelps v. London Borough of Hillingdon, [2001] 2 A.C. 619; 261 N.R. 201 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 25].

L. et al. v. Reading Borough Council et al., [2001] E.W.C.A. Civ. 346; [2001] 1 W.L.R. 1575, refd to. [paras. 25, 83].

Kent v. Griffiths, [2001] Q.B. 36, refd to. [para. 25].

E. et al. v. United Kingdom (2002), 36 E.H.R.R. 519, refd to. [para. 25].

A. and B. v. Essex County Council, [2002] E.W.H.C. 2707; [2003] 1 F.L.R. 615 (Q.B.), refd to. [para. 27].

A. et al. v. Essex County Council, [2003] E.W.C.A. Civ. 1848; [2004] 1 W.L.R. 1881, refd to. [paras. 27, 127].

Spring v. Guardian Assurance plc et al., [1995] 2 A.C. 296; 174 N.R. 164 (H.L.), refd to. [paras. 33, 135].

Sutherland Shire Council v. Heyman (1985), 157 C.L.R. 424, refd to. [para. 36].

Hungerford v. Jones (1998), 722 A.2d 478 (NH Dist. Ct.), refd to. [para. 37].

C.L.T. v. Connon, [2000] S.A.S.C. 223; 77 S.A.S.R. 449, refd to. [para. 37].

Bird v. WCW (1994), 868 S.W.2d 767, refd to. [para. 41].

L., Re, [2002] E.W.H.C. 1379; [2002] F.L.R. 730 (Fam.), refd to. [para. 42].

W. v. United Kingdom (1987), 10 E.H.R.R. 29, refd to. [para. 43].

B. v. United Kingdom (1987), 10 E.H.R.R. 87, refd to. [para. 43].

McMichael v. United Kingdom (1995), 20 E.H.R.R. 205, refd to. [para. 43].

Elsholz v. Germany (2000), 34 E.H.R.R. 1412, refd to. [para. 43].

P., C. and S. v. United Kingdom (2002), 35 E.H.R.R. 1075, refd to. [para. 43].

Venema v. Netherlands (2002), 39 E.H.R.R. 102, refd to. [paras. 43, 84].

Sidaway v. Bethlem Royal Hospital and Maudesley Hospital Health Authority et al., [1985] A.C. 871; 61 N.R. 51 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 45].

Powell v. Boladz, [1998] Lloyd's Rep. Med. 116 (C.A.), refd to. [para. 45].

Kapfunde v. Abbey National plc and Daniel, [1999] I.C.R. 1, refd to. [para. 45].

Ross v. Caunters, [1980] Ch. 297, refd to. [para. 46].

New Zealand in Gartside v. Sheffield, Young & Ellis, [1983] N.Z.L.R. 37, refd to. [para. 46].

White et al. v. Jones et al., [1995] 2 A.C. 207; 179 N.R. 197 (H.L.), refd to. [paras. 46, 135].

Smith v. Bush, [1990] 1 A.C. 831 (H­.L.), refd to. [para. 46].

Everett v. Griffiths, [1920] 3 K.B. 163; [1921] 1 A.C. 631, refd to. [para. 46].

N., Re, [1999] Lloyd's Rep. Med. 257, refd to. [para. 46].

Tarasoff v. Regents of the University of California (1976), 551 P.2d 334 (Cal.), refd to. [para. 46].

Wilkinson v. Balsam (1995), 885 F. Supp. 651 (Vermont), refd to. [para. 46].

Stanley v. McCarver (2004), 430 Ariz. Adv. Rep. 3; 92 P.3d 849 (Arizona), refd to. [para. 46].

Sullivan v. Moody (2001), 207 C.L.R. 562 (Aust. H.C.), refd to. [paras. 46, 89, 109].

Gillick v. West Norfolk and Wisbech Area Health Authority, [1986] 1 A.C. 112, refd to. [para. 47].

A. Children (Conjoined Twins: Surgical Separation), Re, [2001] Fam. 147, refd to. [para. 47].

Hedley Byrne & Co. v. Heller & Partners Ltd., [1964] A.C. 465, refd to. [para. 47].

Attorney-General v. Prince and Gardner, [1998] 1 N.Z.L.R. 262, refd to. [para. 48].

B. et al. v. New Zealand (Attorney Gen­er­al) et al., [2003] N.R. Uned. 195; [2003] 4 All E.R. 833; [2003] UKPC 61, refd to. [paras. 48, 114, 125].

N. v. D., [1999] N.Z.F.L.R. 560, refd to. [para. 48].

Fairlie v. Perth and Kinross Healthcare NHS Trust, 2004 SLT 1200, refd to. [paras. 50, 118].

Calveley et al. v. Chief Constable of the Merseyside Police, [1989] 1 A.C. 1228; 103 N.R. 125 (H.L.), refd to. [paras. 77, 136].

Rich (Marc) & Co. AG et al. v. Bishop Rock Marine Co. et al., [1997] A.C. 211; 185 N.R. 265 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 100].

Best v. Fox (Samuel) & Co., [1952] A.C. 716, refd to. [para. 103].

Dick v. Burgh of Falkirk, 1976 S.C.(H.L.) 1, refd to. [para. 103].

Robertson v. Turnbull, 1982 S.C.(H.L.) 1, refd to. [para. 103].

Alcock v. Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police - see Copoc et al. v. Chief Constable of South Yorkshire Police.

Copoc et al. v. Chief Constable of South Yorkshire, [1992] 1 A.C. 310; 131 N.R. 194 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 104].

Bourhill v. Young, [1943] A.C. 92, refd to. [para. 106].

McLoughlin v. O'Brian, [1983] 1 A.C. 410 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 107].

Tredget and Tredget v. Bexley Health Authority, [1994] 5 Med. L.R. 178 (H.L.), refd to. [para. 107].

North Glamorgan NHS Trust v. Walters, [2003] Lloyd's Rep. Med. 49 (C.A.), refd to. [paras. 107, 133].

Wainwright v. Home Office, [2004] A.C. 406, refd to. [para. 118].

R. v. United Kingdom (Secretary of State for the Home Department); Ex parte Greenfield, [2005] N.R. Uned. 6; [2005] 1 W.L.R. 673; [2005] UKHL 14, refd to. [para. 118].

Elguzouli-Daf v. Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, [1995] Q.B. 335, refd to. [para. 136].

Authors and Works Noticed:

Craig and Fairgrieve, Barrett, Negligence and Discretionary Powers, [1999] P.L. 626, generally [para. 49].

Fairgrieve, Andenas and Bell, Tort Lia­bil­ity of Public Authorities in Comparative Perspective, p. 485 [para. 92].

Fairgrieve, Beyond Illegality: Liability for Fault in English and French Law, in Fair­grieve, State Liability in Tort (2003), c. 4 [para. 49].

Fairgrieve, Child Welfare and State Lia­bil­ity in France, in Fairgrieve and Green, Child Abuse Tort Claims against Public Bodies: A Comparative Law View (2004), pp. 179 to 197 [para. 49].

Fairgrieve and Green, Child Abuse Tort Claims against Public Bodies: A Com­par­a­tive Law Review (2004), pp. 179 to 197 [para. 49]; 199 to 207 [para. 49].

Fairgrieve, State Liability in Tort (2003), c. 4 [para. 49]; p. 84, para. 2.1.2.7 [para. 49].

Grubb, Andrew, Principles of Medical Law (2nd Ed. 2004), c. 5, para. 5.48 [para. 46].

Künnecke, Martina, National Report on Germany, in Fairgrieve and Green, Child Abuse Tort Claims against Public Bodies: A Comparative Law Review (2004), pp. 199 to 207 [para. 49].

Markesinis, Auby, Coester-Waltjen and Deakin, Tortious Liability of Statutory Bodies (1999), pp. 15 to 20 [para. 49]; 58 to 71 [para. 49].

Wright, Immunity no more: Child abuse cases and public authority liability in negligence after D. v. East Berkshire Community Health NHS Trust (2004), 20 P.N. 58, p. 63 [para. 21].

Counsel:

[not disclosed]

Agents:

[not disclosed]

This case was heard before Lord Bingham of Cornhill, Lord Nicholls of Birkenhead, Lord Steyn, Lord Rodger of Earlsferry and Lord Brown of Eaton-Under-Heywood of the House of Lords. The decision of the House was given on April 21, 2005, when the fol­lowing speeches were delivered:

Lord Bingham of Cornhill (dissenting) - see paragraphs 1 to 51;

Lord Nicholls of Birkenhead - see para­graphs 52 to 95;

Lord Steyn - see paragraph 96;

Lord Rodger of Earlsferry - see para­graphs 97 to 119;

Lord Brown of Eaton-Under-Heywood - see paragraphs 120 to 138.