Negligence of medical experts: UK register may offer solution

doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7498.1027

BMJ 2005;330:1027 (30 April), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7498.1027

Letter

Negligence of medical experts

UK register may offer solution

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—Bishop makes some trenchant points about negligentexpert witnesses.¹

The Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners (www.crfp.org)(previous letter) was established by the UK government to buildand maintain a register of currently competent practitionersin all the forensic specialties. It started with forensic scientists,scene examiners, fingerprint examiners, and others who operatechiefly around the criminal justice system, expanding to coverforensic dentists, anthropologists, archaeologists, and otherimportant forensic groups.

The council recently extended registration to forensic physicians—paediatricianspractising in child protection and police surgeons—atleast, those doing a substantial amount of court-going workand those providing expert testimony. It developed its assessmentand registration scheme, as with all specialties, in consultationwith lead bodies in the field.

The same professional and forensic skills are used in the criminaland civil courts. In places such as the family courts, wherethe proceedings frequently take . . . [Full text of this article]

Alan R C Kershaw, chief executive

Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners, London WC1H 9HX akershaw@crfp.org