Medico-legal report

At SLT for Kids our specialist team of speech and language therapists can provide medico-legal reports for both the claimant and defence. Our medico-legal reports can be written for speech, language and communication as well as eating and drinking difficulties. Our specialist speech and language therapists aim to meet the specific requirements and requests of the client and their report.

A medico-legal speech and language therapy report may be needed for the following reasons:

• Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal (SENDIST) – A child or a young person’s speech, language or communication is affecting their access to education. For that reason specialist support is being applied for.
• Medical negligence - A complication may have occurred at birth or injuries to the head that have caused difficulties in the development of speech, language and communication skills or eating and drinking abilities. Our speech and language therapist will be able to help work out the costs for therapy.
• Assessment is required to assess whether or not a speech, language and communication problem exists.

A medico-legal speech and language therapy report will include the following:

• A comprehensive speech and language therapy assessment to determine if the child has speech, language and communication difficulties or eating and drinking difficulties. As well as identifying the level of difficulty and need.
• Information on the child’s past, present and potential future speech, language and communication skills as well as eating and drinking abilities.
• A review of the child’s medical notes and other important and significant documentation.
• A fully detailed report on the findings of the child’s assessment of speech, language and communication or eating and drinking. Including a diagnosis and prognosis of the child’s difficulties.
• Recommendations for future speech and language therapy and the cost it will incur.
• Determine if specialist equipment may be recommended or required such as Communication aids. As well as calculating the cost of the specialist equipment.

The cost of a medico-legal report varies depending on the complexity of each individual case, the request of the report and the location of the child. A written quotation can be available upon request. However before providing a quotation SLT for Kids would need the following information:

• Purpose of the report.
• Issues to be addressed.
• Capacity of appointment.
• Services required of the expert.
• Relevant GP and hospital records.
• Witness statements.
• Relevant court orders.
• Timescale for delivery.
• Current and future updated expert reports.
• Particulars of claim and defence.
• Schedule of loss.
• Party / parties responsible for the payment of fees.
• Other background information.

To enquire about a medico-legal report please email office@sltforkids.co.uk or call 0330 088 2298.