Medical expertise with legal insight proves a winning combination
Many medicolegal cases are not simple and have reached the courts because of the complexities involved.
TLA medical experts are chosen for their specialist knowledge and experience to provide crucial reports either for the prosecution or defence. Often, they also have a good knowledge of the law which helps improve the processing of the case involved.
Dr Adrian Rees is an excellent example. As well as being an NHS GP and Partner at the Aire Valley Surgery in Yeadon, near Leeds which cares for 14,500 patients, he is also an expert witness in general practice.
Dr Rees explains: “My caseload covers clinical negligence, personal injury and professional conduct being instructed by both claimant and defendant solicitors.
“I have been trained by expert witness training provider Bond Solon and have completed their courses in the Civil Procedural Rules and Excellence in Report Writing.”
Dr Rees’s interest in the law stretches back to the start of his medical career.
He said: “I did a master’s degree in 2007 in medical ethics and law. At that time, I'd only been a GP for a couple of years, and you need at least 10 years' experience before you can start entering the medical expert field. I did the degree so I could do medicolegal work starting about 2015.”
As an expert in general practice Dr Rees is often called up on to testify at more complex cases.
“Most tend to be some delayed diagnosis of cancer, and they may go back many years, involving different people and multiple specialists. They could also involve a number of practices, different records or be more clinically complex,” he added.
Dr Rees is a member of the Expert Witness Institute, the AvMA Action Against Medical Accidents and is involved in medicolegal training. He is also a member of the Royal College of General Practitioners and an Honorary Lecturer at the University of Leeds School of Medicine.
As a GP he is passionate about delivering the highest level of care to patients in north Leeds and undertakes minor surgery, steroid injections, as well as fitting contraceptive coils and implants. He has a diploma from the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Health.
TLA has instructed Dr Rees on cases for several years and he recently moved his complete caseload over to the company, a move he says is working well.
“They continue to instruct me on cases and when I am instructed on work through my solicitor contacts, I bring TLA on board to do the invoicing and case management,” he said.
“TLA have always been great to work with – the team is always very well organised and have a good reputation in the medicolegal world. They are friendly, helpful people, straightforward to work with and very responsive and reliable.”
Significantly, even during his time off, Dr Rees likes to keep busy – and healthy.
“Sport's a big thing - I do a lot of running, cycling, triathlons, marathons and obstacle runs and I’m a keen supporter of rugby and football,” he said.
“I also go running with my dog, enjoy playing the guitar and I also maintain an old VW campervan.”
Please email Dr Rees’s medicolegal case manager, Kelly at kelly@tla-medicolegal.com for his CV and further details.