Expert Witness FAQs
How do I know your Experts are qualified and of good quality?
Answer:
We vett all of our psychiatrists prior to registration and only accept applications from psychologists who are registered with the General Medical Council and the Royal College of Psychiatrists. We also ask that they provide an anonymous copy of a previous report for us to check, before we give them their first instruction. In addition to this we constantly monitor the quality of our psychiatrists in terms of their reports and ability to stick to agreed fees & deadlines. All reports are checked prior to being released to you.What are the psychiatrist's fees?
Answer:
Fees vary according to the type and complexity of the assessment that is required. However, all of our psychiatrists are aware of the recent changes in fees for legally aided work funded by the Legal Aid Authority and work within the relevant guidelines. Please contact us and we will provide an estimate of fees based on the details of your case. Our quotations provide a breakdown of the hours required for each part of the assessment, with the relevant hourly rate. Any variation to these fees, as a result of increases in the details of the instruction, will be discussed and agreed with you in advance.Do you accept Legal Aid funded cases?
Answer:
Yes, much of the Expert Witness work that our psychiatrists undertake is publicly funded so we are well versed with the requirements and fee structures associated with this. All of our psychiatrists are aware of the recent changes to fees for Expert Witnesses via the Legal Aid Authority and are happy to work within the new guidelines. Our quotations will provide a breakdown of the hours concerned for each aspect of the assessment and the relevant hourly rate. Please contact us for a detailed quotation.Do you have Experts with specialist language or cultural skills?
Answer:
Yes, thanks to the vast nature of our network we have many psychiatrists who speak additional languages and also have experience and understanding of foreign cultures. Many of our psychiatrists are also experienced in conducting assessments via an interpreter.What information do you need to be able to provide a fee estimate?
Answer:
The more information you can give us the better. Please see our "Choosing the right Expert" article for details of the kind of information that is useful. The more comprehensive the information you can provide to us the more accurate we will be able to be with regard to costs & timescales.What are your average timescales for a report?
Answer:
Whilst these do vary depending upon the complexity of the assessment, we aim to deliver the report within 4-6 weeks of instruction. We will confirm estimated timescales with the fee estimate and will then be able to confirm this once the letter of instruction and bundle has been received. Having said that, we do have a reputation for turning reports around very quickly and this is due to the vast range of Experts that we have access to. So if you have a very short deadline then give us a call and we will do our best to meet it!Where do the assessments take place?
Answer:
Our network of psychiatrists is nationwide and hence we aim to select an Expert near to you and/or your clients to save time and money. For Criminal cases psychiatrists will normally conduct the assessment either at the prison (if the client is detained) or at your offices. In all other types of cases we will discuss the options with you and then the psychologist will judge the most appropriate place to conduct the assessment. This may be at the client’s home, your offices or at an alternative venue local to your client.What do you require to confirm an instruction?
Answer:
In order to instruct one of our psychiatrists and help us co-ordinate the case for you we ask that you: - Email a copy of the letter of instruction to us, including confirmation of funding - Post the bundle to our office in Dorking (see Contact Us page for our address), we do not have a DX address Once received we will make the necessary arrangements for the assessment and confirm all the details with you.What are your Terms & Conditions?
Answer:
Please click on the Client Terms & Conditions link at the bottom of the page to find full details.Couldn’t Find the Answer to your Question?
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Expert Witness Psychiatrists
What our clients say …..
"We have always found Psychiatry Direct to be helpful and reliable, particularly in cases with approaching deadlines. They have a vast number of experienced Experts and are able to facilitate a whole range of assessments. We would definitely recommend their services to any other firm working in the Criminal Justice field and we continue to utilise their services to this day." Alicia Francis – Henry's Solicitors
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Expert Witness News
- Important change to Expert Witness’ Declaration in criminal cases April 19, 2017
This week changes to the wording of the declaration in an expert’s report came into force. This change affects expert witnesses who act in criminal cases with immediate effect. The amendment is at Criminal Practice Direction Part V: Evidence 19B: Statements of Understanding and Declarations of Truth in Expert Reports.
The previous version of paragraph 13 ...
- Addressing mental health issues among pilots March 1, 2017
Hundreds of commercial airline pilots currently flying may be clinically depressed, a study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health has found.
The new findings, published a year and a half after the tragic Germanwings crash, signal the need to tackle stigma and better support pilots dealing with mental health issues.
The study is the ...
- Our new offices in Epsom, Surrey January 25, 2016
As a result of our continued growth, we are pleased to announce that we have moved to new offices.
The move is effective from Monday 25th January 2016.
Our new address is:
Psychiatry Direct, 2.2(a) 40 East Street, Epsom, Surrey, KT17 1BH
NB – Our telephone and fax numbers remain the same.
- The Law Commission – new unfitness to plead proposals January 13, 2016
The Law Commission has today published proposals to update the current test of a defendant’s fitness to plead, by broadening the range of tests that can be used and including opinion from Expert Psychologists.
The current test of Fitness to Plead assessment is generally conducted by Expert Witness Psychiatrists and includes elements ...
- APIL annual conference 1 & 2 May 2014 February 12, 2014
As a leading provider of Expert Witness and Rehabilitation services to the Personal Injury sector, we are pleased to confirm that we will be exhibiting at the annual conference of the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) on 1 & 2 May at ...
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