Sarah Dunn
Nurse Adviser
Registered General Nurse (RGN), Registered Midwife (Dip RM)
Sarah joined Gadsby Wicks in 2024 as a Nurse Adviser after a nearly 40-year career in the NHS as a general nurse and midwife.
Sarah is a crucial first point of contact for our clients, using her substantial nursing and midwifery knowledge to help fully understand their claims and present them effectively to our solicitors.
What is your medical background?
I joined the NHS as a Student Nurse at The Middlesex Hospital in 1986, during the AIDS crisis of the 1980s. The hospital offered cutting-edge care to people from all over the world, and was already considered a specialist hospital when I began my training.
After qualifying as a General Nurse, I worked in the busy cardiac unit at my training hospital, before moving to live with my husband in Cambridge. I then started training at the Cambridgeshire College of Health Studies to become a Midwife, qualifying in 1993.
I remained on the nursing register, and early in my career I worked as an Agency Nurse at Addenbrookes, which allowed me to work in a wide variety of departments, including ITU (Intensive Therapy Unit), children's ITU, neurology and paediatrics.
When my family returned to Essex, I worked as a School Nurse in a specialist school for children with complex physical needs. I then took up a permanent post as a Midwife in my local area. I enjoyed a wide range of roles within this profession, including Safeguarding, Community Midwifery, Labour Ward Coordinator, Ward Manager, Matron, Interim Head of Midwifery and Patient Experience Lead. I was also asked to be a guest speaker at the RCM National Conference about changes to Supervision of Midwives.
I retired from the NHS in 2024.
What are your responsibilities at Gadsby Wicks?
As a Nurse Adviser, I am the first person to speak to people who believe they have a medical negligence claim. I talk to them about their situation and capture the details of what has happened to them. I then compare this to the treatment they could have expected based on local and national guidance, and collate everything into a concise presentation to allow our solicitors to consider the case from a legal perspective.
I also meet with clients to explain how their case may be funded and then to prepare the documents required for them to engage with our services. We can also provide additional support to clients throughout their case, and occasionally this can include support during inquests.
What qualities make you an effective Nurse Adviser?
I believe my patience, kindness and genuine interest in listening to people's experiences make me a strong Nurse Adviser. These qualities, combined with my decades working as a Nurse and Midwife allow me to support our clients and provide clear, informed presentations for our solicitors.
What do you find fulfilling about your role?
When people approach us about a potential claim, they often feel frustrated or afraid. Offering them the space and time to share what happened and air their frustrations is a tremendous privilege.
It feels so positive to allow people to discuss and explore their circumstances with compassion, and to be part of a process that changes lives for the better through compensation and answers.
