Where now for expert witnesses?

doi:10.1136/bmj.a1418

Published 3 September 2008, doi:10.1136/bmj.a1418
Cite this as: BMJ 2008;337:a1418

Letters

Acting as an expert witness

Where now for expert witnesses?

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

The new GMC guidelines define the quality and conduct expectedof expert witnesses.¹ The way forward must be to introduce mandatoryaccreditation of all expert witnesses, and those who are expertwitnesses in all but name—for example, doctors who takepart in tribunals and prepare responses to complaints aboutmedical and other healthcare colleagues.

If expert witnesses were a medical specialty with their ownroyal college faculty, what would be the expectations?

To be scrutinised with the same rigour that the Royal Collegeof General Practitioners monitors its examiners
To have agood working knowledge of their specialty or subspecialty.The"mindset" of an expert witness is not the same as that ofanexcellent practitioner just as a world class racing car orrallydriver does not automatically acquire the mindset to becomea good driving instructor or provide evidence for an inquestinto a fatal road crash
To . . . [Full text of this article]