Expert Witnesses in Disciplinary Complaints

This Role of Experts in Disciplinary Complaints training programme for Professional Regulators covers the following topics:

• Understanding the statutory role of regulators and their governing legislation,
• What acting in the public interest means,
• The complaints process and stages under various governing legislation,
• The statutory grounds of complaint,
• The definition of professional misconduct and poor professional performance,
• The implication of the Supreme Court’s judgment in Corbally v Medical Council 2015,
• Understanding what serious means in the context of complaints,
• The definition, role and duties of expert witnesses,
• The role of screening committees in the investigation of complaints,
• Understanding what is required of experts at the screening stage of the complaints process,
• The role of expert witnesses at the inquiry stage of the complaints process,
• Understanding the expert’s brief,
• What is required of the expert’s report?
• Who is entitled to see the expert’s report and what are they entitled to see?
• Experts giving evidence at an inquiry – what is required of them?
• The expert’s preparation for an inquiry,
• Expert’s testimony – do’s and don’ts.