First Thursday Club Series

Meet your FTC Host - Rob Samut

As the head of our national health law team, Rob is well placed to facilitate this unique and focused series for healthcare professionals. Alongside establishing the FTC group in 2020, Rob developed and facilitated his annual ‘Medical Law in Queensland Course’, and in 2018 launched BN’s Health Forum - a half-day health sector event tackling the big issues facing modern healthcare professionals. Rob has previously facilitated the highly sought after ‘Personal Injury Claims Management Course’ and ‘The Insurance Law Program’ with ANZIIF. With more than 20 years’ experience, Rob continues to represent hospitals, doctors, allied healthcare workers and insurers, giving him the unique ability to combine the practical with the theoretical, and equip students with the relevant knowledge and tools to put into practice in their workplace.

More About FTC

What FTC members have to say

“This is an excellent forum to stay connected with emerging issues within the healthcare sector and a good opportunity to create network opportunities. Well done to the Barry.Nilsson. team in delivering a successful program.”
Michael Scott, Mater Health Services

“The sessions are always clear and concise. The presenters are engaging and information is relayed in an engaging manner. Every topic has been relevant to my work and I look forward to the return of the sessions in 2022.”
Emma Monger, Medical Indemnity Protection Society

“The FTC sessions are always topical and initiate insightful discussion. Congratulations on another beneficial and informative initiative.”
Tracy Pickett, Avant Mutual
Past FTC sessions
Open Justice: managing legal processes in the public spotlight: It has been said that there’s no such thing as bad press, but if you’re operating a hospital or seeking to uphold a professional reputation as a health practitioner, this may not ring true. Public confidence and a good reputation can take years to build but moments to destroy once an adverse event becomes public.
Addiction in Medical Professionals: Addiction affects persons from all walks of life, including doctors and other health care professionals, for whom addiction can place not only their jobs on the line, but also the health and well-being of their patients.
Defamation of Doctors: With people today heavily relying on public reviews, from the TV show they watch to the doctor they choose, a defamatory Google review can have serious professional and financial implications for a healthcare provider. In this session, we explore the law of defamation, examine recent cases run where doctors have successfully defended against defamatory posts, and discuss practical steps for managing adverse or defamatory publications.
Head on Collision: What happens when concussion in sport, medicine and the law collide?: In this session we explore concussion in sport, the rise in Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) litigation and the risks posed to healthcare providers.
Secondary Victim Psychiatric Injury Claims - In claims for compensation for a psychiatric injury, the Courts distinguish between two types of victims: primary and secondary. This session will explore what claimants need to prove to establish a secondary psychiatric injury claim, as well as the ways in which individuals can best respond to and defend secondary psychiatric injury claims.
Caring for the carers – occupational violence in medicine: exploring the issue of workplace violence and abuse in the healthcare sector. Evaluating the protective measures currently in place for healthcare workers, discussing what further actions are necessary and identifying the legal obligations of healthcare providers when it comes to workplace safety.
Software as a Medical Device: The New Frontier: examining the regulation of software as a medical device and the extent to which legal liability exposures will shift from human error and negligence to product liability and cyber claims.
Providing health care to children whose parents have separated: understanding the legal and practical issues providing health care to children, including Gillick competent minors and the Relevant provisions of the Family Law Act
What to do with vexatious and self-represented litigants? highlighting the importance of taking a strategic approach to managing claims made against health care providers by both vexatious and self-represented litigants
Telemedicine hits the big screen: examining how the national shift to remote care via technology will change the risk profile of healthcare providers and identifying the additional steps to ensure that doctors and other health care professionals need to take to ensure telehealth is provided safely, ethically and lawfully with reference to the new Telehealth Guidelines coming into effect in September 2023.
Doctor Bot: AI's finger on the pulse: how AI and robotics are driving change in the provision of healthcare and how the law is evolving in its wake
The Gender Issue: understanding what is involved for young Australians experiencing gender dysphoria and analysing the process of gender reassignment and considering legal decisions in this area issues associated with transgender athletes competing in organised sporting events
Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll - a medical investigation: examining cases where medical practitioners have been sanctioned for drug use, the impaired registrants/health stream and the complex issues surrounding these types of complaints and how they sometimes overlap with sexual misconduct
Futile Treatment and the case of Dr Charlie Teo: exploring health care providers legal and ethical duty regarding futile treatment
Ambulance Ramping – The Rising Medico-Legal Exposure: considering who bears the ultimate legal responsibility when things go wrong if patients are delayed in their admission to ED? And how healthcare providers might reduce your exposure to civil claims and complaints when ramping becomes unavoidable
Saying sorry doesn’t have to be so hard: how to say sorry when things go wrong in health care and the implications of Victoria's statutory duty of candour
Beyond Skin Deep: exploring the independent review of the cosmetic medicine industry and what’s in store for cosmetic healthcare practitioners
A conversation about Cannabis: the medical cannabis journey in Australia, how it is regulated and the legal liability risks faced by those who prescribe it
Termination of Pregnancy: The legal position in Australia: exploring the different abortion laws that apply in Australian States and Territories
A five star response to that one star review: what to do with unfavourable online reviews: the legal issues and implications that can arise when healthcare professionals receive a negative or worse still, defamatory online review
White Coats in Witness Boxes: exploring expert evidence in medical negligence claims: the fundamental role expert evidence plays in medical negligence claims, and some obstacles that can arise when relying on an expert to defend a claim
Insurance Cover For Health Care Providers: Claims Made Insurance Policies: cover for healthcare providers, understanding the nature of claims made insurance cover and the critical steps to take in making and accepting a claim
Medical Negligence: The Defence Of Peer Professional Opinion: understanding the critical elements of a peer defence, how to practically plead and prove that defence and the enactment of the Bolam principle in Australia
Navigating the Coronial Minefield: exploring the procedural aspects of the Coroner’s Court and identifying practical tips to ensure a process is seamless for your organisation
Rationing Healthcare in a Pandemic: implementing reasonable and lawful ethical frameworks and triage policies in the event that a surge in COVID-19 cases places pressure upon hospital resources Consent and Healthcare: providing emergency treatment where patients aren't able to consent directly
Consent and Healthcare: providing emergency treatment where patients aren't able to consent directly
Mandatory COVID-19 Vaccination Policies: can they be implemented and to what extent
Let's Talk about Dying: Queensland's new VAD laws and a comparison with other States and Territories
The Burden of Opioid Use and Misuse: obligations on healthcare providers when their patients are opioid dependent
Hindsight Bias and Outcome Bias: how to overcome it in evidence given against you and how to avoid falling into the trap
Domestic Violence and the Medical Profession: what are healthcare providers obliged to do when they know or suspect that someone is suffering from domestic violence
The Case of Child A: gender dysmorphia
Vaccine Liability: as one of the highest vaccinated countries in the world against COVID 19 the issue of who is liable when a patient suffers an adverse reaction to a hospital is significant. What are the potential exposures and what is the role of the Federal Governments No Fault Indemnity
The Non-delegable Duty of Care Owned by Hospitals: the liability of a hospital will often turn on whether the health care provider was an employee or contractor (VMO). But not always. Given the relationship between hospital and patient there will always be a non-delegable duty owed to a patient who receives care at the hospital be it public or private
Telemedicine: with telemedicine going mainstream, what are the new or increased risks which health care providers face when providing remote care

First Thursday Club Series

Meet your FTC Host - Rob Samut

More About FTC

What FTC members have to say

Past FTC sessions