Family lawyers have raised concerns about the suspected inflicted head injury service (SIHIS), currently being piloted at NHS trusts in Birmingham, Manchester & Sheffield
The SIHIS aims to reduce delays in assessing children aged eight years or under with suspected abusive head injuries by bringing expert clinicians together at a clinical hub to provide a single, uniform report. The Department for Education (DoE) pilot is scheduled to run until the end of March 2025.
However, lawyers have highlighted the lack of transparency, information and consultation about the pilot and warned clinical experts may not be cross-examined in court.
Child protection solicitor Max Konarek, partner at GT Stewart Solicitors, said: ‘The majority of the cases I have personally been involved in where a party has been absolved of any wrongdoing, have involved the successful cross-examination of the medical experts instructed.
Konarek urged all interested lawyers to attend remotely an open meeting of the Family Justice Council on the subject on 22 July. Registration closes on 16 July. The DoE was unable to comment at the time of going to press.
