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Family law: Paediatricians shun expert witness training scheme

1 min read
A scheme that encourages paediatricians to become expert witnesses by shadowing judges and barristers working in family law is still struggling to get off the ground nearly a year after it was launched.

Organised by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, thescheme aimed to coax paediatricians back into court work following thecontroversial Cannings case, in which the expert testimony of ProfessorSir Roy Meadow was called into question.

Meadow was struck off the medical register in July following thecase.

The college says it has redoubled efforts in recent months to getpaediatricians onto the scheme, but admitted that it has not been easyto attract participants.

College vice president for training Dr Pat Hamilton said: "There istremendous reluctance to become an expert witness because people haveseen colleagues getting into trouble and because of the hostile viewthat the public has had.

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