Giving evidence in contested Mental Health Tribunals and Hospital Managers’ Meetings can be a daunting experience. Many psychiatric healthcare professionals can find themselves and their evidence being subjected to enormous scrutiny, by members of the panel and the patient’s solicitor.

COURSE OVERVIEW

This highly practical training session is designed to ensure that psychiatric healthcare professionals undergo a process of familiarisation - to equip them with the necessary skills to give a confident account under questioning or cross-examination.

The day is split into two halves. The morning looks at the theory of giving evidence and is designed to demystify the whole process. Attendees explore the various techniques lawyers use to discredit healthcare professionals in cross-examination, and learn how to withstand them and remain in control.

In the afternoon, we set up a mock Mental Health Tribunal in which delegates will be cross-examined by an experienced lawyer-trainer, to consolidate the day's learning.

KEY LEARNING POINTS

• Understand the inquisitorial process employed by Mental Health Tribunals and Hospital Managers’ Meetings and the legal tests which they must employ in every case.
• Identify the procedures, order of events, and roles and responsibilities of those involved.
• Prepare how to give evidence to best practice standards.
• Demonstrate how to make appropriate use of supporting evidence, documents and records while under cross-examination.