General description of the work of a Consultant in Family Planning
The Consultant in Family Planning deals with contraception, termination of pregnancy and sterilisation issues. He/she deals with family planning issues that may be too complicated for the patient’s own GP to deal with.


Most common clinical areas / procedures leading to a claim of clinical negligence
• problems related to contraception implants ( eg Implanon)
• failure of contraception
• failure of sterilisation
• problems related to vasectomy
• problems related to IUCD devices


Sub-Specialities / Alternative and Additional job titles
The Consultant in Family Planning often is a GP who has specialised in Family Planning. Alternatively he/she may he a Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology who has a special interest in Family Planning.


Usual Qualifications
If the Consultant in Family Planning is from a GP background he/she may have MRCGP or FRCGP (Membership or Fellowship of the Royal College of General Practitioners) after his/her name. He/She is also likely to have DFFP (Diploma of the Faculty of Family Planning) after his/her name.
If he/she is a Consultant in Obstetrics and Gynaecology then he/she will have MRCOG or FRCOG (Membership or Fellowship of the Royal College of Obstetrician and Gynaecologists) after his/her name.


Academic Appointments
The Consultant in Family Planning may be a Lecturer or Professor in Family Planning at a Medical School. He/She may be an Examiner for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.


Our Experts
The Consultants in Family Planning who prepare reports on medical negligence cases on our behalf are either NHS Consultants or NHS GPs. They are in active clinical practice and they are experienced at preparing medico-legal reports. They are willing to attend Court in the UK and Ireland provided that they are given enough notice and that their fees and expenses for attending are agreed in advance.
Each of the Consultants in Family Planning who prepare reports on our behalf has particular areas of clinical interest within his/her practice and we match each case with the most appropriate Consultant.


The Report
The Consultants in Family Planning prepare their Reports for the benefit of the Courts. In other words, they prepare unbiased Reports in order to help the Court to decide the case, rather than to help one side or the other.
The Consultants in Family Planning examine all the documentation and details of the case and look at the standard of care that the Client received. They then give their opinion on whether or not the standard of care that the Client received fell below the standard of care he/she should have received.
Where necessary they provide background documentation and information to back-up their opinion.


Documentation required
The most important documentation is the Client’s GP and Hospital Records. This documentation will usually contain the Record of their Attendances with their GP as well as any Hospital In-patient Records, Operation Records, Nursing Records, Out-Patient Clinic Records and Correspondence.
There may be X-rays and CT or MRI scans. If these are related to the event in dispute then copies of these will be of help to the Consultant in Family Planning when he/she is preparing his/her Report.
An account of events by the Client and/or the Client’s family will be of assistance to the Consultant in Family Planning. Copies of the patient’s Attendances with their Solicitor will also help to clarify the areas of care that are at issue in the case.


Time-scale for the Report
Once we have confirmation to proceed with the Report the Consultant in Family Planning can usually prepare his/her Report within 8 to 10 weeks. If a Report is needed urgently we will endeavour to have it prepared sooner than this.


Price of the Report
Once we receive all the documentation we will provide you with a quotation for the price of the Report from the Consultant in Family Planning. If you decide to go ahead with the Report we will have it prepared and we will forward it to you on receipt of payment.
If you decide not to go ahead with the Report after receiving the quotation we will return all the documentation to you and there is no charge.


Queries on the Report / Addendums
The Reports from the Consultant in Family Planning are usually very clear and give a concise opinion on the standard of care the Client received.
If minor clarifications are needed then these will be provided at no extra cost.
If, after the Report has been completed, additional documentation needs to be examined by the Consultant in Family Planning or if additional work needs to be done in order to provide an Addendum to the Report, then there may be an additional charge. If so, we will inform you of this and only proceed with your approval.


Client Examination
The Consultants in Family Planning do not normally need to see the Client in order to prepare a Report on the standard of care he/she has received. They can usually prepare their Report from the case notes and other documentation.
If the case does progress and a Report is needed on the Client’s current medical condition and/or prognosis for the future, then it is likely that the Client will need to see the Consultant in Family Planning for an examination and we can make the necessary arrangements.