Retirement issues

‘Business Dilemmas’

Independent practitioners’ difficult ethical questions are answered this month by Dr Christine Walker (right)

Dilemma 1

Must I appear as expert witness?

Q I am an orthopaedic surgeon who retired a few years ago. I continued to carry out independent expert work for a while after retirement but have not accepted any new instructions for over a year.

Despite this, I have continued to receive questions from solicitors as well as requests to appear as a witness in cases that are coming to court after considerable delay.

Must I comply with these requests?