A woman from Lincolnshire has been jailed for contempt of court after being found to have deliberately misrepresented a claim for damages against the NHS of over £3 million. Yesterday she received a 26 week custodial sentence, of which she will serve a minimum of half, and was ordered to pay £135,000 towards the trust’s legal costs.
Kae Burnell-Chambers, age 44, brought a clinical negligence claim against Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust in November 2019 for an alleged delay in diagnosis and treatment of Cauda Equina Syndrome, seeking damages in excess of £3 million.
However, surveillance footage and extracts of social media entries and videos obtained by NHS Resolution revealed significant discrepancies in Burnell-Chambers’ account of her condition and capabilities. Following disclosure of this evidence, Burnell-Chambers accepted her medical negligence claim was fundamentally dishonest and discontinued her claim.
Contempt proceedings were commenced by NHS Resolution against Ms Burnell-Chambers in September 2023.
On 25 July 2025, almost two years after proceedings were issued against her, Burnell-Chambers provided a written guilty plea in which she accepted she had deliberately misled the legal teams and medical experts instructed during the clinical negligence claim, with the intention of seeking to receive more compensation.
NHS Resolution welcomes the decision of the court today. Fraudulent claims for compensation against the NHS take money away from patient care. We remain committed to ensuring fair compensation for patients who have suffered harm. However, this case serves as a clear reminder of the serious potential consequences faced by those who pursue dishonest or exaggerated claims against the NHS.
Helen Vernon, Chief Executive of NHS Resolution
All aspects of the clinical negligence claim were based on a dishonestly exaggerated claim. The truth was that [she] had made a good recovery. She lied about her symptoms to make a substantial claim. The Trust found you out… taking all into account and mitigation evidence, it is appropriate to impose an immediate custodial sentence.
The Honourable Mrs Justices Tipple
