Whiplash – Government response published – 24.10.2013

Related Sector: Expert Witness

Yesterday (23 Oct 2013) the government published its response to the whiplash consultation and the House of Commons Transport Committee.

View the full response document here.

On page 11 the response reads: We are persuaded that a form of accreditation system should serve as the basis of these proposals, which may draw on accreditation systems currently in operation. Accreditation should be open to all suitable practitioners (we have no plans to limit accreditation to doctors).

A formal independent training and accreditation scheme already exists through the Cardiff University Law School Bond Solon Civil Expert Witness Certificate. Launched in 2002, this remains the first and only university-accredited expert witness scheme in the UK. In the expectation that the Government response would support accreditation, in August we launched the Cardiff University Medico-Legal Foundation Certificate for experts who do not require training in giving evidence but want to demonstrate that they understand their duties to the court and can produce suitable, compliant expert reports. In our consultation response we gave extensive information on these programmes. Experts completing either of these certificates will be added to a National Register of Expert Witnesses.