The role of the Care Expert

Ask yourself…. Do you value high standards? Do you appreciate continuous, collaborative and structured professional development? Are you frustrated and wish you could achieve more, but also want to maintain your day-to-day clinical role?

Who are Jacqueline Webb? HQ in Salisbury, Wiltshire. Founded in 1985 by Jacqueline Webb, Occupational Therapist. We are the UK's largest totally independent Rehabilitation Cost Consultancy. We have over 30 years‘ experience of working with personal injury lawyers and solicitors. Our Reputation is born in providing excellent quality reports within the required timescales through excellent training, head office support and CPD. We provide the platform for you to be an Expert Witness.

Our Team We have a team of around 65 active Experts with a variety of specialist areas: Generalists – Upper/Lower Limb Orthopaedics, Upper/lower Limb Amputees, Burns, Visual Injuries, Mental Health, End of Life. Spinal Cord Injuries Head Injuries Birth Injury/Paediatrics Our team is made up of OT’s, Physio’s, Nurses & SLT’s.

Duties of the Care Expert To provide impartial & independent advice to assist The Court To help the Court ascertain the functional situation and quantify the financial compensation: Quantum

Benchmark for recommendations ‘The principal of the law is that compensation should as nearly as possible put the party who has suffered in the same position as he would have been if he had not sustained the wrong’ Lord Blackman, reaffirmed by Lord Scarman in Lim Poh Choo v Camden and Islington AHA 1979

Introduction - Expert What is your previous clinical experience? What is your current clinical position and what cases do you take from Jacqueline Webb & Co? How long have you been an Expert? Thank about questions in the slide – we wont put all your answers on the slide, but you can talk around them. Think also of a patient case study that you can talk about in terms of assessment, care, equipment, housing and transport. You may want to pick examples from a few cases for each section. What was your clinical position prior to joining Jacqueline Webb and how did that prepare you for Expert Witness work? Qualified as OT in 1984.Basic grade in Oxford Hospitals on rotational post. Wide experience in neurology, trauma and orthopaedics. Domicilairy OT for 12 years in Devon, Suffolk and Gwynedd. 2. What is your clinical position now? Has it changed what types of injuries/conditions do you specialise in as an Expert? Independent OT since 1996 variety of work including SS contracts, housing associations and charities. Case Manager for 4 years Huge variety of cases for JW – trauma/ortho, amputees, visual loss, clinical neg, LOS, end of life care 2 Why did you choose to become an Expert Witness? Always of interest, since listening to JW speak when it was very new field for OTS. Time was right. I enjoy writing detailed reports. I enjoy time to carryout a detailed assessment and make recommendations not limited by resources 3 How long have you been an Expert and what are the greatest personal benefits of Expert Witness work? Since 1996. Benefits – value of the profession, value of your opinions and recs, flexibility, financial, challenges you to be the best you can be, makes you think about your reasoning justifications. Excellent insight into indep practice for me encouraged me to make the leap, 4Why did you choose to do it with Jacqueline Webb? Big name, focus on EW witness work solely –other companies do bits of EW work – wanted to work for a company who specialise in this area. Attracted by the training and support having never worked in legal or indep / private sector before joining.

The Assessment One-off assessment 3-4 hours in duration At the claimant's home or by telephone Luxury of time with the claimant to assess all aspects of their life in detail. Sometimes asked to re visit if circumstances change or prior to settlement. Skype

Purpose of Assessment To identify the claimant’s pre- and post-injury situation To assess the claimant’s functional status and how they manage within their home environment. To identify areas of need and the level of independence likely to be achieved with appropriate equipment and adaptations. To clarify information in witness statements and medical records. Explore the impact of disability on the individual and their family. Basis – to put claimant back to where they would have been without the injury.

Writing the report 6 - 22 hours very often 13,000 words plus makes recommendations to put the person back into the position they would have been if they hadn't suffered the wrong.

The Report Assessment Analysis Recommendations Costs: Care Equipment Transport Miscellaneous Housing

Care Care whilst in hospital. Care from date of discharge to date of assessment. Care from date of assessment to date funding available. Future care (may include more than one scenario). Longer term needs (when claimant has a child, when claimant is elderly. eg simplest cases – cost for a package of domestic support to complex – 24 hour directly employed care by team of carers. Gentleman with above knee amputation. Ind at present and working. Domestic agency used for 4 hours per week to conserve his energy. Personal care inc from age 65 years as medical evidence suggested he would become less mobile and maybe wheelchair dependent. Young single mother with 4 children age 5 to 13. Missed diagnosis of cancer and mother now has frequent hospital admissions in London. Family living in Devon. History of nannies staying for a week as cannot provide childcare and personal/domestic care. Solution – live in housekeeper/nanny and gardener/chauffeur couple.

Equipment Not limited by budgets or policy Assess for best item to suit client – need to be able to justify it say in comparison to a cheaper model. Typical items include bath and shower aids but may include adapted baths. Kitchen aids – typical but may increase to adapted kitchen to include built in ovens, units with pull out trays etc Equipment for leisure and hobbies Wheelchair accessible observatory and greenhouse Adapted motorcycles with automatic ignition and lifting gear so that he can maintain the bike.

Transport Inc past and future mileage costs Car adaptations Variety from simple automatic transmission, panoramic mirrors, parking sensors to hand controls, wheelchair hoists and WAV both for driver and passenger. Links with companies who advise.

Miscellaneous Garden maintenance Household maintenance Chiropody Heating Clothing Footwear Holidays Cowgirl boots Holidays – more important maybe Man with above knee amp and pain in other leg. Prosthesis and wheelchair user. Had travelled and toured frequently on holiday and wife explained that this is how they met and it was their only shared interest. Additional costs included first class travel and a luggage porterage service as wife could not handle all of the luggage Purchase price and site fees for a static caravan Always minus cost of what they would have spent on a holiday in any event.

Housing Suitable, unsuitable or adaptable? Examples Single mother with 3 children. Amputee and wheelchair dependant. SS had adapted the property (DFG) to give her a downstairs bedroom and wet room. She could not access the children’s upstairs bedrooms and relied on her carer to tidy their rooms. Resulted in family rarely spending time together Recommended single storey accommodation to give her access to the entire home and restore her to the role she had prior to the injury

Key Skills of the Care Expert Assessment Timekeeping Communication – oral & written Clinical reasoning / justification Confidence in making decisions and recommendations. Ability to accept criticism / have views challenged.

What do you need to become an Expert….. Six or more years’ post-graduate experience. Minimum of 10 hours per week capacity for work – excluding weekends. Complementary clinical employment Experience in assessing or setting up care packages, housing needs and equipment aids. A willingness to learn and to challenge yourself.

Take Home Messages You can be an Expert. Come and find out more – you wont know until you ask. Better understand of the role of a Care Expert.

Ask yourself…. Do you value high standards? Do you appreciate continuous, collaborative and structured professional development? Are you frustrated and wish you could achieve more, but also want to maintain your day-to-day clinical role?

Find out more about Expert Work Contact Simon Dickinson on: E-mail: recruitment@jwebb.co.uk Tel: 01722 342512 Or visit website: http://www.jwebb.co.uk/expert-witness-recruitment

The role of the Care Expert