Catherine Henry, Principal of Catherine Henry Lawyers, discussed promoting social justice through health care litigation. Her firm has represented many Indigenous clients in negligence claims and inquests, highlighting the wide gap in health status between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. Many of her clients had significant pre-existing medical conditions and poor access to appropriate health services, which complicated the health care that was the subject of the litigation. She works collaboratively with Aboriginal Legal Services around New South Wales on these types of cases.

1. MACQUARIE UNIVERSITY SOCIAL JUSTICE CLINIC
October 2, 2020
Promoting social justice through health care
litigation
Catherine Henry, Principal, Catherine Henry Lawyers
Newcastle – Sydney – Port Macquarie

2. Acknowledgement of Country
• The land of the Worimi and Awabakal people
• The land of the Wattamattagal clan of the Darug nation

3. Cases for Indigenous clients
 Gap in health status between Indigenous and non-Indigenous
Australians has always been unacceptably wide
 Identified as a human rights concern by UN committees
 Firm has conducted numbers of negligence claims and several
inquests for Indigenous clients
 Work collaboratively with Aboriginal Legal Services around NSW
 Cases highlight
1. Significant pre-existing medical conditions commonplace
complicating health care the subject of the litigation
2. Poor access to appropriate health services