Opening new wounds

Recently, I had just finished my second free diagnostic half-hour interview of the morning (the expression 'pro bono' is not understood in these parts).

Then, over a brief lunch, I had read an article in The Times on how the excessive fees of fat cat lawyers in clinical negligence cases were bringing the NHS to its knees when my secretary brought to me a 'flyer' which our practice had received from a consultant physician practising in Yorkshire and describing himself as 'approved by Law Society (sic) as expert witness, etc'.He mentioned his 'preliminary assessment service' by which, he wrote, 'for a fixed fee of 150 I undertake a short consultation or telephone interview of about half an hour to assess viability of cases in my areas of expertise.

There would be no physical examination or review of medical records'.

He 'looked forward to hearing from (me) soon'.

The defence rests its case.John Calladine, Robinsons, Derby