Section 5.1 Expert Opinion

Relates to clause 8.25(a), 8.25(b), 8.25(c), 8.25(g), and 8.25(h)

It is essential that authorised health practitioners provide high quality reports that are accurate, comprehensible, and easy to read. Reports should also clearly explain medical terminology and concepts. Having high quality reports minimises the need for multiple opinions and examinations, thereby improving the experience of the injured person, reducing claim lifecycles and cost to the scheme.

As expert witnesses, authorised health practitioners must comply with Procedural Direction PIC4 – Expert Witness Evidence. The Direction reinforces that an expert witness has an overriding duty to assist the Personal Injury Commission impartially on the real issues in dispute relevant to the expert's area of expertise, and that an expert witness is not an advocate for a party or the person retaining them.

As part of the consultation undertaken in developing the criteria for authorised health practitioners, SIRA stakeholders stressed the importance of good quality, impartial expert opinion, and that practitioners understood the importance of these requirements prior to being appointed.