Medico-Legal
Comprehensive Medico-Legal Reports by experienced clinicians
What are
Expert Witness and
Medico-Legal Reports?
Medico-Legal reports are documents that provide an independent and evidence-based opinion on an individual’s physical, psychological or psychiatric condition. Our Harley Street Psychiatrists are able to prepare a wide range of reports for solicitors, barristers, courts and tribunal services on behalf of claimants and defendants. We understand the need for reports to be conducted in a timely manner and will work with you to ensure that your deadlines are met.
Fees and timescales for reports
Due to the varying nature of medico-legal reports, we are unable to provide a fixed cost for our reporting service.
You can start the process by simply calling us, or contacting us using the below form. One of our clinicians will then contact you to gather the relevant information and timescales required to calculate the costs for the report.
We are aware that many reports require immediate attention, and therefore we will only provide a quote if we are able to meet your deadline
We will always give a fixed delivery date for your report
What types of reports can we prepare?
We can provide medico-legal expert witness reports on:
- Neuropsychological health
- Diagnostic clarity
- Causation
- Condition
- Prognosis
Our psychiatrists write reports for all types of legal proceedings and courts of law, including Magistrates’ and Crown Courts, Court of Appeal, Court of Protection, Family Courts, the Parole Board, Civil Proceedings and Employment Tribunals.
Reports for civil proceedings, courts of protection and family law courts:
- Testamentary capacity
- Mental capacity
- Family and child protection matters
- Mental Health Act
- Clinical negligence
- Fitness to practice
- Treatment focussed assessments
- Assessment of brain injury
- Personal injury claims
Reports for civil proceedings, courts of protection and family law courts:
- Testamentary capacity
- Mental capacity
- Family and child protection matters
- Mental Health Act
- Clinical negligence
- Fitness to practice
- Treatment focussed assessments
- Assessment of brain injury
- Personal injury claims
Reports for criminal courts:
- Fitness to plead and stand trial
- Diminished responsibility
- Pre-sentencing reports
- Hospital orders
- Parole board assessments
- Second opinion reports
- Structured risk assessments
- Driving offence reports
- Driving offence reports
- Psychiatric defences
- Mitigation
- Loss of control
- Automatism
- Fitness for police interview
- Sex offending reports
- Fire setting reports
- Risk assessment and Dangerousness
- Treatment requirement
- Section 35 Admission to hospital report
- Section 36 Remand to hospital
- Section 37 Hospital Order
- Section 38 Interim Hospital Order
- Section 41 Restriction Order
- Section 5(2) Criminal Procedure (Insanity) Act
- Hybrid Orders Section 45(A)
- Absolute / Conditional Discharge
- Psychiatric report for the Parole Board
- Asylum / refugee psychiatric reports
What is the process for Medico-Legal Assessments
Due to the varying nature of Medico-Legal Assessments, we ask that individuals first contact us either using the form below or emailing contact@hsmh.co.uk where we can discuss your individual needs and advise on the most appropriate assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQs)
If you can’t find what you’re looking for, our team is here to help. Contact us for personalized guidance.
A medico-legal psychiatric report is a formal, expert-written document used in legal proceedings, providing an independent psychiatric evaluation of an individual’s mental health. At Harley Street Mental Health, our consultant psychiatrists produce detailed medico-legal reports for a wide range of cases, including personal injury claims, employment disputes, immigration matters, family law proceedings, and criminal cases.
All medico-legal reports are prepared by experienced consultant psychiatrists who are registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) and trained as expert witnesses. Our psychiatrists have extensive experience in providing clear, objective, court-compliant reports that meet legal standards for accuracy, impartiality, and clarity.
We provide medico-legal reports for a wide variety of cases, including:
- Personal injury claims (e.g., PTSD, depression following an accident)
- Employment tribunal cases (e.g., workplace stress, psychiatric injury)
- Criminal court reports (e.g., fitness to plead, psychiatric mitigation)
- Family law reports (e.g., parenting capacity assessments)
- Immigration and asylum cases (e.g., psychological impact of trauma)
- Capacity and fitness assessments (e.g., testamentary capacity)
If you require a specific type of psychiatric report, our team will match you with the most appropriately experienced expert.
Yes. Our medico-legal psychiatric reports are fully compliant with Civil Procedure Rules Part 35 (CPR Part 35) and relevant legal standards. Each report is independent, impartial, and suitable for use in court proceedings, tribunals, and other legal forums.
Typically, medico-legal psychiatric reports are completed within 2 to 4 weeks after the assessment, depending on the complexity of the case and the volume of documentation to review. We can also offer expedited reports on request if urgent timescales are required.
The process includes a detailed psychiatric interview, review of relevant medical records, mental state examination, and careful consideration of the legal questions posed. Our psychiatrist will assess diagnosis, causation, prognosis, and functional impact, depending on the case requirements.
The assessment can be conducted in-person at our Harley Street clinic or virtually if suitable.
Yes. Our consultant psychiatrists are experienced in acting as psychiatric expert witnesses and are available to give oral evidence in court or at tribunal hearings if required. They provide clear, unbiased testimony and are trained to communicate psychiatric findings in a manner easily understood by judges, juries, and solicitors.
We are instructed by solicitors, barristers, insurance companies, corporate clients, local authorities, and occasionally directly by individuals involved in proceedings. We work with both claimants and defendants, maintaining impartiality at all times.
Yes. Harley Street Mental Health is happy to accept instructions for Single Joint Expert (SJE) psychiatric reports, where agreed between both parties, in accordance with the court’s directions.
To instruct us, we typically require:
- A letter of instruction outlining the questions to be answered
- Relevant medical records
- Legal documentation (e.g., witness statements, previous expert reports)
- Details of timescales and any court deadlines
Our team can guide you through the instruction process and ensure that all necessary information is obtained efficiently.