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Thinking back and looking forward!

Published On: May 8th, 2019
Author: Caren Scott, Managing Director, Inspire MediLaw

April was a landmark month for us at Inspire MediLaw as we celebrated our second anniversary!

It’s a great time to consider all that’s been achieved in the year just gone. We’ve become firmly established as a provider of outstanding training in this sector. More than 600 medico-legal professionals have attended our conferences and events during the past year, and we are delighted with the positive feedback and repeat bookings we receive.

Why I set up Inspire MediLaw

I set up Inspire MediLaw in the wake of my husband’s lengthy illness. Over a period of nine months, I watched what was happening to him and was frustrated by poor communication from clinical teams, and care that was not always patient-centered. I later found that lawyers were unable to grasp the complexities of his medical history and could not get to grips with the many disciplines that made up his one claim.

My own experience of working in a private medical practice meant that I often saw experts leave their reporting to the last minute, producing quick and ill-thought-out reports. As a result, they would, not infrequently, have to back down in a joint meeting when faced with the opinions of their counterpart.

I realised that, if experts were clear about their duty to the Court, and given guidance on how to go about it well, they could do an outstanding job.  This, in turn, would better equip lawyers to take on the right cases and obtain justice for their clients.

Improving patient safety and reducing clinical risk through learning

Clinicians who have completed our medico-legal training are better placed to identify and safeguard against errors in their practice. A striking number of delegates have told us that they have made changes to their own clinical practice after attending our expert witness training. More importantly, they then pass on that learning to colleagues, bringing about wider change.

Our business benefits from the input of claimant and defendant lawyers. It also benefits from a range of experienced medical experts, and external regulatory bodies, and other professionals.  We are so encouraged to have such high-calibre attendees at our events.

It’s hugely encouraging to see that our delegates appreciate the importance of ongoing training and development to discharge their duties to the best of their abilities – and that they choose us.

Looking forward…

I’m excited about building on the past year’s momentum, increasing the range and frequency of our training programme. This includes inquest training for clinicians and report writing and courtroom familiarisation training for medical experts. We offer bespoke, in-house training packages for law firms and healthcare providers, tailored to specific budgets and training needs.

We have lots of new opportunities on the horizon, and it’s great to have a team who are well placed to research, develop, and deliver the training we want to offer. We are proud that our conferences and events enable professional delegates to grow in confidence and in their understanding of medico-legal issues, developing their existing knowledge and practical skills.

My vision is that Inspire MediLaw will be the training provider that medical professionals and clinical negligence lawyers choose to enhance their practice. Our training encourages better communication between the professions which will ultimately improve patient care and safety.

Learn more about our training for medical and legal professionals

Take a look at our website for details of all training courses for medical and legal professionals. Please do get in contact if you would like to discuss bespoke training.

Read Caren Scott’s personal story behind setting up Inspire MediLaw.

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