Annex A > Chapter 1 - The Background to and Conduct of the Public Inquiry > The Terms of Reference > Witness statements

Witness statements

48 The Inquiry's legal team identified those organisations or individuals from which it wished to receive written witness statements.

49 In relation to evidence from parents of children who had been treated at Bristol, the Inquiry was anxious to hear from parents who had experience of the paediatric cardiac surgical services ranging throughout the period 1984-1995, whether they had positive or negative comment to make.

50 Parents were sent questionnaires enquiring whether they wished to take part in the Inquiry. All those who indicated that they wished to take part were invited to make written statements. Generally, where families were members of the BHCAG or the BSSG, the Groups' Solicitors took their statements. The Inquiry's Solicitor's team and local firms of solicitors also took statements, when it was appropriate.

51 Likewise, witnesses who were employed, for example by the UBHT, Avon Health Authority (Avon HA) or the DoH, provided statements through solicitors acting for the respective organisation. A number of clinicians were individually represented and statements were provided through their solicitors, often instructed by the Medical Defence Union (MDU) or the Medical Protection Society (MPS). A small number of witnesses provided their statements directly to the Inquiry, with or without assistance from the Inquiry Solicitor's team.

52 Witness statements were received from 577 witnesses. The Inquiry's Solicitor and Counsel read each statement. If it contained comments that were considered to be critical of any other person or body in a material way, a copy of the statement was sent to the person or body criticised to allow them to respond. Every statement and every factual comment was subsequently published. [22]

53 All statements and comments published by the Inquiry were scanned into the Inquiry's database and allocated a unique number, commencing with the identification code `WIT'. [23]

54 Where the Inquiry decided it was not necessary to call a witness to give oral evidence, that witness statement was published on the Inquiry's website.

55 Where witnesses were called to give oral evidence, their statement was made public at the time that they gave their oral evidence. These statements were also made available, confidentially, in advance of publication to participants who might be affected by the content, who then had the opportunity to advise Counsel to the Inquiry or comment in writing.

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Footnotes

[22] However, the Inquiry's Solicitors were authorised, if they considered that a statement or comment contained material (e.g. defamatory or scandalous matter) which could not reasonably assist the Inquiry in its task, to redact that material prior to publication

[23] Thus `WIT 0200 0001' would denote page 1 of a statement produced by witness number 200