Noel Wardle

Noel handles ESG, Compliance & Investigations matters, advising a wide range of healthcare businesses and practitioners on healthcare regulation. He has particular expertise as a pharmacy lawyer acting for pharmacists and pharmacy owners in matters including NHS market entry (pharmacy contract applications), GPhC fitness to practise investigations and hearings, NHS disputes (including market exit, funding and counter fraud investigations), inquests, MHRA cases and providing general regulatory and compliance advice. Noel also represents other healthcare practitioners in fitness to practise proceedings, including GMC investigations of doctors. Additionally, Noel has considerable experience acting for clients in respect of proceedings brought by regulatory bodies such as the HSE and Local Authorities. Prior to joining Temple Bright in 2021, Noel was a partner at Charles Russell Speechlys in the City and head of that firm’s healthcare regulation team. According to The Legal 500, Noel “provides clear measured advice” and “has fantastic knowledge of pharmacy law and practice”. Noel is ranked in Chambers UK for both professional discipline and healthcare regulation: “He has exactly the right temperament to be firm and compelling, while always fair and professional. Combined with that, he is a true expert in his field – there is nothing that he doesn’t know about the workings of regulatory practice.”

Noel has written A Guide to General Pharmaceutical Council Investigations and Fitness to Practise Proceedings.

He has also written A Guide to English NHS Pharmacy Market Entry Applications.

Experience

Relevant experience at Temple Bright includes:

• Advising pharmacy representative bodies in relation to a number of proposed legislative changes, including drafting responses to Government consultations.
• Representing a pharmacist in relation to fitness to practise proceedings arising out of online prescribing for patients overseas.
• Acting for a GP in relation to GMC fitness to practise proceedings arising out of online prescribing.
• Representing a pharmacy technician in relation to fitness to practise proceedings arising out of alleged dishonest conduct.
• Acting for a pharmacist independent prescriber in relation to fitness to practise proceedings arising out of alleged inappropriate prescribing.
• Advising a beauty clinic in relation to an investigation by the Care Quality Commission into alleged unlawful activities.
• Acting for a pharmacy owner in relation to a fraud investigation arising out of alleged dishonest claims under the Covid costs regime.
• Representing an online healthcare provider in relation to inquest proceedings into the death of a patient following an alleged overdose.
• Advising a hub pharmacy start-up on proposed regulatory changes to allow hub and spoke dispensing.
• Representing a pharmacist facing a six figure clawback claim by NHS England in relation to out-of-pocket expense claims.