Expert Witness Journal Issue 63 October 2025 - Flipbook - Page 63
The Royal College of Psychiatrists has
launched ‘Delivering for Disability’
’Dr B’ su昀昀ered with Long Covid and reasonable
adjustments enabled him to remain at work:
- a new campaign and guidance calling on mental
health employers in England, to adopt 15 actions
to help combat the disability discrimination of
NHS staff.
‘Dr B’ had Long Covid for over three years, with longterm physical and cognitive issues and deterioration over
that period. Accommodations included working four days
instead of 昀椀ve and no on-calls due to the extent of cognitive
fatigue beyond 5pm. One day a week they worked from
home to reduce the e昀昀ect of travel, and an FFP3 mask was
worn in all clinical areas to reduce further acute Covid risk.
Providing Reasonable Adjustments - Essential Guidance
for Mental Health Employers, is a co-produced framework
designed to empower NHS services to implement e昀昀ective
and practical support for sta昀昀 with disabilities and long-term
health conditions. The guidance bridges the gap between
policy and lived experience, to enable all sta昀昀, regardless of
ability, to thrive.
As a result, Dr B was able to continue work and their talent
was retained within the NHS. Their employer reviewed
working arrangements and hours on an ongoing basis and
adapted reasonable adjustments.
NHS England data shows that mental health sta昀昀 with
disabilities are twice as likely to report experiencing
personal discrimination from a colleague or manager
compared to their non-disabled peers (12.2 per cent vs. 5.8
per cent).
Dr Lade Smith CBE, President of the Royal College of
Psychiatrists, said:
“Tackling the barriers that interfere with people with disabilities
being able to give their best at work is imperative to improving
productivity. It will also make the NHS a more compassionate,
inclusive and attractive place to work. Reasonable adjustments
help staff feel valued and respected, reduce sickness absence,
improve retention and foster better teamworking.”
RCPsych President Dr Lade Smith CBE said:
“Disability discrimination comes at an immense cost to individuals,
teams and ultimately impacts our ability to retain experienced
professionals and thereby look after patients. Our Providing
Reasonable Adjustments guidance equips employers with clear,
evidence-based actions, informed by the voices of those with lived
experience. By embedding these practices, services will bene昀椀t
because staff will be better supported, more likely to remain and
thrive at work, all of which will be much better for patient care.”
“I’d encourage leaders at all levels, from board executives to clinical
supervisors, to embed this guidance into their workforce strategies.
The aim of the guidance is not only to help you meet your legal duty
as an employer but to create productive and healthy environments
that bene昀椀t all staff, ultimately supporting them to improve
patient care.”
Dr Linda Monaci
Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist
Medico-legal assessments for suspected or known brain injury and/or
brain dysfunction in Personal Injury and Medical Negligence claims
• Acquired brain injury
• Cognitive dysfunction
• Stroke
• Epilepsy
• Mental capacity assessments
• Post-concussion syndrome
• Anoxia
• Dementia
• Neuropsychiatric conditions
• Alcohol and drug abuse
Medico-legal services: Instructions from Claimants, Defendants and as a Single Joint Expert. Assessments can also be carried out in Italian.
Dr Monaci has a good knowledge of Swedish and Spanish and has experience of working through interpreters.
Dr Monaci has completed the Cardiff University Bond Solon Expert Witness Certificates.
Dr Monaci receives approximately 60% instructions from Claimants and 40% from Defendants. In April 2024, Dr Monaci counted each new
instruction received in the previous 12 months and found the percentages were as follows: 58% Claimant / 37% Defendant / 5% Jointly
instructed.
Clinical services:
Neurorehabilitation services in Surrey.
Main consulting rooms (nationwide locations):
Consultations for medico-legal services are available in London, Guildford, Horsham, Leatherhead and Southampton.
Assessments in care homes and in individuals' home may also be possible when based on clinical needs.
Clinical services are available in Surrey. Available for travel throughout the UK and abroad.
Correspondence address:
Email: linda@monaciconsultancy.com
www.monaciconsultancy.com
EXPERT WITNESS JOURNAL
61
OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2025
