This report sets out the College’s view on the
complex issues of the involvement of psychiatrists in legal
processes. The basic principles and recommendations provided are
intended to be helpful to psychiatrists working within any legal
system.
Psychiatrists are not expected to be legally trained, but if they
are to function effectively when working within a legal framework
they must be trained in using their psychiatric expertise and
ethical understanding. This document will support all psychiatrists
who work at the interface between psychiatry and the law. It aims
to ensure that psychiatrists working in legal settings feel
confident and prepared in their role, so that they can continue to
make their enormous contribution to the welfare of their patients
and the administration of justice.
The recommendations cover principles of practice for all
psychiatrists as well as expert witnesses. Recommendations are also
made about training for legal processes, both during psychiatric
training and as an integral part of continuing professional
development (CPD). The report therefore has implications for the
training of all psychiatrists, their training schemes and their
personal development plans.
(This report is not a textbook on how to deal with legal processes,
nor does it specifically address variations between the legal
systems of the different parts of the UK; although the scoping
group’s experience was largely of the English legal
system.)
Contents
- Scoping Group on Court
Work
- Executive summary and
recommendations
- Introduction
- Background
- The interface between
psychiatry and the law
- Duties of a psychiatrist
- Duties of a psychiatric
expert witness
- Training and continuing
professional development
- The structure of reports
- The commissioning of reports
and relation to employment
- Quality and supply
- Accreditation
- References