Medico-Legal reports for both Adult and Paediatric Emergency Medicine
Medico-Legal reports for both Adult and Paediatric Emergency Medicine
Expert Witness Reports in Adult & Paediatric Emergency Medicine (A&E)
Mr David Kirby MRCS FRCEM LLM
I am a full time NHS consultant in Emergency Medicine (formerly known as Accident and Emergency or A&E), registered with the General Medical Council (4326096). I qualified in 1996 and have been a consultant since 2008.
I am on the specialist register for both Adult and Paediatric Emergency Medicine.
My NHS practice is in a large DGH with annual attendances of around 150,000. I also hold the office of Deputy Medical Director within my trust, giving me unique insight into the senior board level issues affecting hospitals in the current climate.
I hold Membership by examination of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (MRCS), Fellowship by examination of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine (FRCEM) and Master of Laws (LLM) from the University of Manchester.
I am an accredited Educational Supervisor, responsible for the training of junior doctors from all aspects of medicine.
Clinical Negligence Work
I have provided over 50 reports relating to emergency medicine in clinical negligence claims since 2022, instructed by both defendant Trusts and Solicitors acting for claimants. I am regularly instructed by Panel Solicitors to produce full reports and increasingly more common as concise (short form) reports with a capped fee.
In Clinical Negligence claims, my reports provide clear supportive evidence and narrative of what correct procedure should have been in cases where an allegation should be admitted.
My current workload sees around three to four new instructions per month.
In the case of prospective claimants, I can undertake brief Pro Bono assessment of the case before agreeing to provide a report. In this way, claimants do not have to pay for a report which is unlikely to be supportive of their claim.
Coronial Work
I have produced over 40 expert reports for Coroners across several jurisdictions since 2017. I have given live evidence in over half of these, the remainder having my report admitted under Rule 23.
I have experience giving evidence both in person and via video link.
As an expert witness I pride myself in giving precise, clear evidence which is accessible to a non-clinical audience. I concentrate on being accurate and unambiguous for legal professionals, yet compassionate and sensitive for family members.
A significant number of my reports have been in relation inquests touching upon deaths of persons detained in custody or under the Mental Health Act. As such, I have significant experience in dealing with Article 2 inquests, in the application of Tainton and in giving evidence before a Jury.
In several cases, my report has highlighted to HM Coroner the need for corrective action to be taken, resulting in the issuing of a Regulation 28 report.
I have extensive experience participating in coronial inquests, attending most inquests in which my Trust is an interested party. My role in this field is to primarily provide all assistance possible to HM Coroner, whilst supporting all witnesses from my organisation and providing senior presence for family members to liaise with and address any concerns or questions that they may have.
At the request of the Judicial College, in 2017/18 I was an invited speaker at the National Coroner's Officer Continuation Training programme, and in 2018/19 I was an invited speaker at the National Coroner's Continuation Training Programme, where I presented on current matters in Emergency Medicine in relation to coronial inquests.