Quality standards in forensic medicine

Abstract

Forensic clinicians work with some of the most vulnerable members of society. Despite this it is one of the few areas of front line, undifferentiated healthcare in the UK that does not come under the National Health Service. The Faculty of Forensic & Legal Medicine (FFLM) has produced quality standards guidance for over a decade to support good practice in clinical forensic medicine. In April 2021 we surveyed their membership to ascertain whether clinicians working in the field felt that adequate standards were being maintained. The results demonstrate significant variability in the implementation of standards in both general forensic and sexual offence medicine for both adults and children. They highlight that despite some pockets of excellent practice there are significant areas of concern.

Keywords: Forensic medical services; Forensic physician; Healthcare professional; Police custody; Quality standards; Safety.