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 Getting started

• Understand the "what" and "why": If your employer or agency asks you for a statement, ask them to put their request in writing so that you know exactly what you need to write about, and what process is being followed.
  
  
• Clarify timescales: You should be given reasonable time to prepare your statement and have it checked by the 绿帽换妻 鈥� so check if there is a deadline in place, and request more time if the deadline is not reasonable.
  
  
• Gather your documents: You have the right to check documents to help you write your statement (for example, medical notes, medication administration records, the off-duty rota, any relevant employer policies covering the issues in question). 

Use one of our templates to format your statement:

• Coroner's Court / Fatal Accident Inquiries template
• General statement template for all other situations 

Prepare your statement as a typed Word document. If your employer or agency has provided a statement template you should use that instead, but still follow our tips below.

Are you a witness? Please see our section on witness statements below.

Are you raising concerns/whistleblowing? Read our guidance here and contact us without delay for further support.

Our team recommends the following to help you through the rest of the statement writing process:

Be clear

• State the times that you were on and off duty on the day/s in question. Check the off-duty rota to be sure.
• Give brief details of the work environment at the time, including your job role, area of responsibility and the number of patients in your care. For example, were you the nurse in charge? Include brief details of the staffing levels, skill mix, and whether the shift was busier than usual for any specific reasons.
• Be clear about what you did, saw and heard. You have a right to see the clinical records to help you write your statement accurately. If you鈥檙e denied access to the records, explain this in your statement and do not attempt to "guess" at what they say.
• Use the first person (i.e. "I"). For example, say "I gave Patient x 500mg of Paracetamol" rather than "500mg of Paracetamol was given".
• Relate the facts from the beginning and keep them in chronological order, giving precise dates and times. Be consistent in using "am" or "pm" or the 24-hour clock.
• Avoid jargon or official language.
• Explain clinical or healthcare procedures, and avoid general statements such as "routine observations were made". If normal procedures were not followed, explain what is normal and why there was a departure from the accepted procedure.
• State what is personal recollection and what can be corroborated as fact with reference to, for example, healthcare records, reports, clinical guidelines or standards.
• Where known, please use full names and job titles of colleagues you were working with.
• Always write the subject of an abbreviation or acronym in full the first time you mention it.

Be relevant

• Don鈥檛 speculate, elaborate or exaggerate, or use emotional language 鈥� you may be called as a witness to give oral evidence based on your statement. Respond directly to each allegation, and don't offer more information than you are being asked for.
  
• If you cannot remember something, say so. 
• It is acceptable to form a view based on your professional judgement. Document the facts or evidence on which you based your conclusion. Relate how this impacts on patient care or service levels.
• Don鈥檛 assume that the reader knows anything of the facts of the case, such as a patient鈥檚 medical history, your environment or clinical routines and procedures. Any intelligent lay person should be able to understand the content.
• Avoid giving opinions or making judgements that you cannot support by factual evidence or corroboration; a good phrase to use is 鈥淏ased on the information available to me at the moment鈥︹��
• Hearsay is second-hand, rather than first-hand evidence, for example: "I heard Susan say that she had seen Jill give the injection". It can be admissible in certain legal proceedings, for example a Coroner's Court or Fatal Accident Inquiry, but it must be clear that it is hearsay evidence. Only relate what you were told by another/ others - you have no way of verifying the accuracy of others鈥� accounts.
• In any summary, recap the main points and avoid adding new information or comments.
  

Be compliant

• Keep patients鈥� and relatives鈥� identities anonymous - for example, use "Patient X" or "Resident X" throughout the statement.
• Follow any professional codes such as the , particularly the section titled "Promote professionalism and trust". Also ensure you鈥檙e following your employer鈥檚 local policies and confidentiality guidelines.
• Remember that you could be challenged on the content of your account, and your statement could be used in criminal proceedings or disclosed to all parties in a disciplinary or grievance hearing.
  

List all documents referenced in your statement and, if possible, where to find them

Examples include:

• patient records, notes, and departmental documents
• the relevant Datix/incident report/untoward incident form
• local policies or procedures
• national standards or evidenced-based information
• professional codes and guides.

Format your statement

Add page and paragraph numbers. Space your lines and ensure pages have clear wide margins at each side.

Check it

Review each paragraph carefully, checking that your statement only communicates exactly what was asked for or required. Look at whether the facts can be evidenced. Check that the facts you provide are clearly and objectively explained.

Remember: if you feel your practice or conduct is under investigation, contact us for advice.

Keep a copy

Always keep a copy of your statement for future reference. Ideally, keep a photocopy/scanned copy of your signed statement as an exact record of what you have submitted.

If any oral evidence you are asked to give at a later date is significantly different from your written statement, this might affect your credibility.

You’re under investigation

You could be asked for a statement following an adverse incident at work that you were directly involved in. For example, you may have administered the wrong dosage of medication to a patient, or you’ve been accused of unprofessional behaviour.

If your conduct or practice is being questioned, then - provided you were in the correct category of membership at the time of the incident - we will check your statement for you. Use our template then please contact us or complete our online form to discuss arrangements for checking your statement before you hand it in.

Read more about investigations, discipline, grievance and being a witness.

Reflective statements

Statements should generally just be factual, and our statement checking team can only check factual statements. However, some employers, especially agencies, sometimes ask for reflections as part of an investigation. You should be wary of providing reflections or answering reflective questions. If your employer insists on a reflection, contact us so that we can put you in touch with a local rep to check over it for you before you submit it. 

Inquest/Coroner’s court

If you are asked to provide a statement for an inquest or Coroner’s court check your employer’s policy. You may be required to talk to management, or your employer’s solicitor, before speaking to the Coroner’s Office/officer. The policy should outline whether your employer will arrange representation for you to avoid incriminating yourself.