Paediatric Occupational Therapist Expert Witness

ASSOCIATE EXPERT WITNESS (MEDICO LEGAL REPORT WRITING)

PAEDIATRIC OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST – ENGLAND, SCOTLAND, WALES

NATIONWIDE - SELF EMPLOYED - HIGH EARNING POTENTIAL

Are you an experienced paediatric Occupational Therapist looking for a new challenge – one that allows you to apply your specialist knowledge in a different, thought-provoking way, without stepping away from your clinical field?

Expert witness work offers the opportunity to extend your skillset and use your clinical expertise to help solicitors, insurers and the courts understand the impact of serious injury and disability upon a child’s function, independence and future needs.

As an established leader within the medico-legal industry, we are currently looking to grow our UK-wide network of paediatric Occupational Therapy expert witnesses. We are particularly interested in OTs with substantial experience of working with children and young people with complex physical and neurological conditions, birth injury, cerebral palsy, acquired brain injury and serious injury, and in assessing their functional, equipment, environmental and longer-term needs.

With a long-standing reputation built over 40 years, we’re proud to be a trusted and consistent source of clinical expertise for law firms and insurers alike. Our growing network of experts is valued not just for its breadth, but for the care, clarity and objectivity each professional brings to their role.

What is an Expert Witness?

As a self-employed Associate on our expert witness panel, you’ll have the opportunity to apply your clinical expertise in a new context, working with some of the UK’s leading claimant and defendant solicitors and insurers.

Within quantum cases, you may be instructed to assess children and young people who have sustained serious injury or who live with significant disability following alleged clinical negligence or personal injury. You will consider their pre-injury or expected developmental trajectory, current presentation and the impact of their injury or condition upon function, activities of daily living, independence, participation, education and family life.

Drawing upon your own area of expertise, you may be asked to provide recommendations regarding occupational therapy, aids and equipment, seating and positioning, upper limb function, personal care and daily living, access to education and leisure, environmental adaptations and future occupational therapy needs, including how these may change as a child grows and develops.

You’ll be supported by a dedicated and knowledgeable team at Bush & Co – people who are genuinely passionate about the expert witness role, value professional growth and are committed to supporting the delivery of high-quality, independent expert evidence.

What makes Bush and Co the right fit for your expert witness journey?

We’re committed to supporting our expert witnesses every step of the way. We understand that exploring a new direction in your clinical career comes with learning needs and questions. That’s why you’ll have the support of an experienced and approachable team and access to the collective knowledge and experience of our expert community here at Bush & Co.

Here’s what you can expect when you join us:

✔ Competitive rates and strong earning potential
Your expertise is valued. We offer competitive rates and the opportunity to grow your earnings in line with the work you take on.

✔ True flexibility
As a self-employed Associate, you choose how much work you take on and when. As a quantum expert, you can also define how far you’re willing to travel - allowing you to shape your work around your other work and family commitments.

✔ Expert support as you transition into this role
We help you build confidence and credibility as an independent expert witness through:
• Access to bespoke training, support and ongoing professional development (CPR35 requirements, report writing, court skills, legal updates)
• Regular customer and other networking opportunities across the UK to boost your profile and develop your expert witness knowledge and skills

✔ Marketing without the hassle
We make sure you're visible across the industry - through targeted marketing, an online expert directory, and professional CV support. If you’re also involved in teaching or speaking as part of your expert witness role, we’ll help promote that too.

✔ Finance made simple
Our Finance team ensures your invoicing and payments are managed efficiently and promptly, so you focus on your work - not your paperwork.

✔ Governance you can rely on
We offer clear, practical guidance to help you meet your responsibilities - both as an expert witness and a self-employed professional.

✔ Quality assurance that supports
Our experienced QA team reviews every report for consistency, legal protocol, and presentation, ensuring quality without ever compromising your independent opinion.

✔ Administrative support you can depend on
From fielding your instructions, existing case correspondence and managing trial diaries, to formatting reports and coordinating your capacity, our admin team ensures you’re always organised and supported.

Experience we value
We’re looking for Occupational Therapists with a strong foundation in paediatric practice and substantial experience in assessing and supporting children and young people with complex physical, neurological and developmental needs.

You should have a sound understanding of how serious injury and disability can affect a child’s function and development over time, and be confident considering areas such as mobility and transfers, upper limb function, self-care and activities of daily living, sensory and functional needs, equipment, seating and positioning, access to education and leisure, the home environment, independence and future needs.

Experience working within multidisciplinary teams and alongside families, schools, health, social care and other rehabilitation professionals will be particularly valuable.

You should also have the ability to:

• Analyse and interpret clinical records and documentation with attention to detail
• Assimilate complex information and apply sound clinical reasoning
• Distinguish between needs arising from an injury or condition and other factors influencing function and development
• Make clear, clinically reasoned recommendations within the boundaries of your own expertise
• Draft clear, well-structured and evidence-based reports, with guidance and support from our experienced teams
• Work to agreed deadlines while maintaining the accuracy, independence and objectivity required of an expert witness

The essentials:

To work with us as an expert witness, you will need a minimum of 8 years’ post-registration experience in your clinical field, including substantial paediatric experience, ensuring a strong foundation of expertise to draw upon in your expert witness work. You will also need to demonstrate:

• Current HCPC registration as Occupational Therapist
• Excellent communication skills across verbal, written, and electronic formats
• A commitment to maintaining up-to-date clinical expertise and engaging in continuing professional development for the foreseeable future and through to the conclusion of any instructed cases
• Excellent spoken English and a high standard of written English, with strong attention to detail
• A full driving licence or the ability to travel efficiently via public transport (for quantum experts)
• Access to a reliable PC or laptop, as well as a telephone, to support remote working and case management

If you are interested in joining our panel please submit a summary of your clinical experience/CV

More information can be obtained by visiting our website www.bushco.co.uk