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CPD Webinar Insight: Choosing the Right Nurse Expert for Your Case

Updated: 6 days ago


In clinical negligence litigation, the role of a well-matched expert witness cannot be overstated. On 19th June at 2pm, Apex Experts will be hosting a CPD webinar dedicated to helping legal professionals refine their approach to selecting the right nurse expert for their cases.

 

Led by advanced nurse practitioner and seasoned expert witness Wendie Smith, this session is tailored for solicitors and legal teams engaged in clinical negligence work across the UK. Wendie brings over two decades of frontline expertise, spanning community and primary care, district nursing, NHS 111 triage, urgent out-of-hours services, wound care, and chronic condition management making her an ideal guide to navigating the nuanced considerations in expert selection.


CPD Webinar Details


Title: Choosing the Right Nurse Expert for Your Case

Date: 19th June 2025

Time: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM

Platform: Microsoft Teams

A CPD Certificate will be provided upon request


Why Expert Selection Matters

 

While qualifications are essential, they are only part of the picture. As the legal system increasingly demands precise, defensible expertise aligned with CPR 35 compliance and case law expectations, the importance of choosing the right expert has never been greater.


Selecting the wrong expert, no matter how qualified on paper, can undermine a case’s credibility if their clinical experience doesn’t reflect the scenario under review.

 

A strong case depends on an expert whose day-to-day clinical experience mirrors the care in question. This not only supports the factual basis of the opinion but ensures it withstands judicial scrutiny and cross-examination.


Topics We’ll Cover

 

This practical and engaging one-hour session will explore:

 

  • Key factors in expert selection – Including availability, communication style, fee structures, and day-to-day clinical relevance.

  • Defining clinical and legal competence – Not all nurses have equivalent expertise post-qualification. How do you assess the real-world relevance of a CV?

  • Understanding the risks of poorly chosen experts – Including examples from Arksey v Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust [2019] and Re: C [2023] EWHC 345 Fam, where inadequate vetting of experts significantly impacted case outcomes.

  • The anatomy of a good instruction – From well-crafted letters of instruction to post-report follow-up and case conference management.


About Wendie Smith

 

Since 2018, Wendie has authored robust breach of duty reports for both Claimant and Defendant firms. She also advises on fitness-to-practise matters before the NMC, making her particularly well-positioned to highlight both legal and professional expectations from nurse expert witnesses.

 

Her comprehensive understanding of what constitutes an admissible, insightful and CPR-compliant report makes her insights particularly valuable to legal professionals seeking to build cases with clarity and clinical credibility.


Who Should Attend?

 

This session is ideal for:


  • Clinical negligence solicitors (Claimant & Defendant)

  • Legal executives and paralegals

  • Costs teams and litigation support staff

  • Anyone involved in instructing nursing expert witnesses


Reserve Your Place

 

To register for this free CPD webinar:

Call 020 3633 2213


We will provide you with a Microsoft Teams link ahead of the session.

 

Have any questions? Please feel free to get in touch, or visit our Contact Us page.

 



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