Senior care leaders have paid tribute to Paul Ridout, the influential healthcare solicitor and founder of specialist law firm Ridouts, following news of his unexpected death, describing him as a pioneer, mentor and one of the sector's most trusted advisers.
Care leaders have been paying tribute to Paul Ridout, the long-standing healthcare lawyer and founder of specialist regulatory law firm Ridouts, following news of his unexpected death.
In a statement published today, HCR Law, which acquired Ridouts in 2024, described Mr Ridout as a ‘titan of the industry’ who helped shape the evolution of the UK's health and social care sector over more than five decades.
Mr Ridout advised care providers, regulators, developers and funders throughout a career spanning 50 years, earning a reputation as one of the sector's foremost experts on healthcare regulation. He also authored legal textbooks and industry guidance, remaining actively involved in client work until his death.
Announcing the news on professional social media site LinkedIn, HCR Law said Mr Ridout had ‘sat at the centre of one of the most heavily regulated sectors in the UK’, helping providers navigate successive waves of legislative and regulatory change.
Responding to the announcement, senior care leaders and sector figures were quick to share their condolences and memories.
Fortava Healthcare co-founder Johann van Zyl said he would always remember Mr Ridout as the solicitor who represented his company during an early encounter with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
"He went on to represent and support so many of us over the years. A huge loss. The end of an era," he added.
In a separate tribute on the social media site, former Ridouts colleague Jenny Wilde, now senior partner at Acuity Law, said Mr Ridout was not only "a giant in the sector" but also "an incredibly good man". She described him as a generous mentor who helped launch the careers of many healthcare lawyers, adding: "We would be nothing without the time and care he invested in us."
Hesley Group chief commercial officer David Maynard said Mr Ridout combined "extraordinary depth of knowledge and experience" with genuine warmth, adding that he had made "an enormous contribution to the health and social care sector".
HCR Law said a full tribute would be published in the coming days.
