Writing a statement

  • Include full name, qualifications, job title and how long you have been doing it.
  • Don’t assume reader knows anything about the case
  • Use first person
  • Who did what, why, when
  • Concentrate on your observations and your understanding (no need for long quotes of what was said to you, which is what a clinical report would require)
  • Say what you found, but also what you looked for and didn’t find
  • If you’re not exactly sure what you did, and nothing documented, acceptable to say “My normal practice would be…”
  • When you have referred to or discussed with someone else, give their name and who they are, describe what they did on the basis of the notes and your understanding, but don’t comment on the adequacy or otherwise of their performance.
[https://www.themdu.com/guidance-and-advice/guides/writing-a-report-for-the-coroner]