Clinical negligence expert witnesses
Listed clinical negligence expert witnesses examine the clinical question identified in the instruction: treatment, diagnosis, communication, records or outcome. The relevant discipline follows the care criticised, rather than the claim label alone.
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The evidence
What a clinical negligence expert witness is asked to determine
A useful opinion identifies the contemporaneous information, the clinical decisions made and the point at which causation becomes a separate question. The register lists practitioners by discipline; scope, availability and terms are agreed directly with the practitioner.
- Whether the assessment, diagnosis, treatment or escalation recorded met the expected clinical standard at the relevant date.
- Whether a competent practitioner would have acted differently on the symptoms, test results and history then available.
- Whether any identified departure caused a different outcome, and the limits of that conclusion.
- Whether nursing, surgical, radiological, primary-care or laboratory evidence is required in addition to a lead opinion.
- Whether the records are sufficient for an opinion or require a records-review report before examination evidence.
Practitioners are listed by discipline and can be narrowed by location across the four UK nations. The register publishes the listing; the instruction is agreed directly with the practitioner.
Related evidence
Where this specialist evidence fits
The appropriate route follows the clinical question. These related specialties may answer different parts of the same instruction.
Medical negligence
A related register route where the question concerns the clinical care criticised.
View specialty →02Radiology
Imaging evidence in delayed diagnosis and reporting disputes.
View specialty →03Pathology
Tissue, laboratory and post-mortem evidence where those records are material.
View specialty →Search the register for a clinical negligence expert witness suited to the question in issue.
See clinical negligence listingsReport routes
Reports prepared
A records review report can deal with the contemporaneous material where an examination is not required. A breach and causation report can separate the standard-of-care question from the clinical consequence alleged.
Where the instruction concerns present symptoms, function or future course, a condition and prognosis report may form a separate part of the evidence. The report pages set out the form requirements.
Clinical Negligence expert witness evidence
A clinical negligence expert witness provides an opinion within the limits of the instruction, source material and discipline-specific expertise. The records and clinical question determine the scope of the evidence.
See the relevant GMC Good Medical Practice alongside the case material.
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