Dr Ronan O'Leary

Dr Ronan O'Leary is a Consultant in Intensive Care Medicine and Anaesthesia at Cambridge University Hospitals, specialising in neurosciences & trauma critical care and in trauma anaesthesia. He is an Associate Professor affiliated with the University of Cambridge Clinical School, a member of the NHS England Clinical Reference Group for Adult Critical Care, and was awarded a National Clinical Impact Award in 2023. He is regularly consulted for second opinions on cases of the utmost clinical gravity. .

He provides expert opinion across critical care, particularly major trauma and neurosciences, together with anaesthesia, perioperative medicine, healthcare systems, and complex medical decision-making. In the Court of Protection he acted as 'Doctor A' in Re AH (Serious Medical Treatment) [2021] EWCOP 51, concerning serious medical treatment for a patient with a prolonged disorder of consciousness following neurological complications of Covid-19, in which Hayden J described his evidence as "extremely impressive".

He also has expertise in the relationship between the clinical environment, organisational culture, and patient safety, including the effect on patients when concerns about care are not acted upon - expertise of particular relevance to coronial inquests and to commissioned reviews of services.

Dr O'Leary further has recognised expertise in electronic patient records, digital governance, and clinical informatics. He established and directed the Cambridge Healthcare Data Programme and has contributed to national working groups integrating data-driven approaches into critical care and wider health-system decision-making.

He provides independent and impartial evidence in keeping with the expert's overriding duty to the court.

Scope of expert opinion includes:

• Critical care, major trauma, and severe brain injury
• Coronial inquests and Court of Protection matters

• Prolonged disorders of consciousness and best-interests decision making

• Anaesthesia and perioperative care
• Clinical governance, patient safety, and organisational responses to concerns about care
• Electronic patient records, data standards, and digital transformation in healthcare

Terms and availability:

Available for instruction across the UK and Ireland. Dr O’Leary current completes around 50 reports per year. Report turnaround: 4 –6 weeks from instruction. Full terms and conditions available on request.

Training

Dr O'Leary was a graduate entrant to Leeds Medical School, qualifying in 2004. He undertook specialist training in anaesthesia and intensive care medicine in West Yorkshire and Birmingham, followed by a fellowship in Melbourne, Australia, before his consultant appointment at Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, in 2013.

Awarded a National Clinical Impact Award in 2023.