The medical profession’s regulator will publish new rules this week to ensure doctors acting as expert witnesses understand their overriding duty is to the administration of justice.

The General Medical Council’s new guidelines appear at a time of crisis in the witness system, following complaints about ‘heavy-handed’ disciplinary action against paediatricians.

The regulatory body said it drafted the guidelines to ensure that doctors know what is expected of them when they appear in court.

The rules require witnesses to work within the limits of their professional competence, to keep up to date, explain where there are a range of views and take appropriate action if their opinion changes.

In 2004, the chief medical officer called for teams of NHS expert witnesses to be created but the government has yet to act on the plan.

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