What is MedCo? MedCo medical reports explained
MedCo is the online portal used to source the first medical report in qualifying low-value road traffic accident claims in England and Wales. This guide explains what a MedCo medical report is, why MedCo exists, how its random shortlist works, the difference between Tier 1 and Tier 2 MROs, and which claims must use it. Expert Medical is a MedCo registered MRO; we provide medical evidence, not legal advice.
What is MedCo?
MedCo is the online portal used to source the first medical report in qualifying low-value road traffic accident claims in England and Wales.
It was set up in 2015 after Ministry of Justice reforms to whiplash claims. Through the MedCo Portal, a solicitor finds either an accredited medical expert or a registered Medical Reporting Organisation (MRO), which instructs an accredited expert from its panel, for the first medical report in a qualifying claim.
MedCo is run by MedCo Registration Solutions, a private company limited by guarantee that operates in accordance with Ministry of Justice policy. It accredits medical experts and audits MROs, but it is not a regulator. Expert Medical Examination Ltd is a MedCo registered MRO; this page explains how the system works. We arrange medical evidence; we do not give legal advice.
What is a MedCo medical report?
A MedCo medical report is the first fixed-cost medical report in a qualifying low-value road traffic accident claim. It is written by a MedCo-accredited expert instructed after a MedCo search, either directly or through the Medical Reporting Organisation selected from the shortlist.
Under the RTA Small Claims Protocol, used for qualifying claims from accidents in England or Wales on or after 31 May 2021, any first medical report obtained by a claimant living in England and Wales must be a MedCo report, and in a whiplash claim one must be obtained. Under the Low Value RTA Protocol, the first report in a vehicle occupant soft-tissue claim, and in a whiplash claim including a child's, must also be a MedCo report.
Under the protocols, the expert must be registered with the GMC or the GDC, or be a psychologist or physiotherapist registered with the HCPC, and must also be accredited by MedCo. Save in exceptional circumstances, the expert must not have treated the claimant or be associated with anyone who has. Where an MRO is selected, it arranges the examination and handles the administration, but the medical opinion is the expert's own.
MedCo reports generated from 4 January 2027 must include the information in the revised RTA3 medical report form, which adds the examining expert's name and professional registration numbers, although using the template itself stays optional.
Where the Claim Notification Form or letter of claim was sent, or the Small Claim Notification Form submitted, on or after 6 April 2025, the fixed recoverable cost of the first report is £226 plus VAT. See our guide to medico-legal report costs for further report fees and the rules behind them.
Why MedCo was set up
Before MedCo, the party commissioning a whiplash report and the party providing it were often commercially connected, and the same experts were instructed repeatedly. That raised concern about the independence and quality of the medical evidence.
MedCo addresses this in two ways. It returns a random shortlist of experts or MROs for the user to select from, so a specific provider cannot be chosen in advance. It also accredits medical experts and audits MROs against qualifying criteria. The aim is medical evidence the court can trust, whichever party paid for it.
How the MedCo search and shortlist work
For a qualifying claim, the medical report is sourced through the MedCo Portal in four steps:
- 01The authorised user (usually the claimant's solicitor) logs in to the MedCo Portal and chooses whether to instruct a Medical Reporting Organisation or a direct medical expert.
- 02MedCo generates a random shortlist: for a represented claimant, 8 MROs made up of 2 Tier 1 and 6 Tier 2, or 7 direct medical experts.
- 03The user selects one provider from that shortlist. A particular provider cannot be requested in advance.
- 04The chosen expert, or an expert on the chosen MRO's panel, examines the claimant and prepares the report to CPR Part 35 standards. An MRO arranges and administers the instruction. The opinion is the expert's, and the expert's duty is to the court.
A claimant who uses the Official Injury Claim portal without a solicitor receives a smaller shortlist, but the random principle is the same. The randomisation is the point of the system. It is what stops a particular expert or MRO being pre-selected for the first RTA report, and it is what protects the independence of the evidence.
Tier 1, Tier 2 and direct medical experts
MedCo distinguishes two tiers of Medical Reporting Organisation, and separately allows direct instruction of an individual expert:
Tier 1 MRO
High-volume national organisations. In the represented-claimant MRO shortlist of 8, MedCo presents 2 Tier 1 organisations.
Tier 2 MRO
Other registered MROs, typically regional. The same shortlist of 8 presents 6 Tier 2 organisations. Both tiers are presented on the same random shortlist, and the authorised user selects one provider from it.
Direct medical expert (DME)
An individual accredited clinician instructed directly rather than through an MRO. Where this route is chosen, MedCo returns a random shortlist of 7 for a represented claimant.
The tier reflects the scale of the organisation, not the standard each report is held to. Every report, from either tier, is prepared to CPR Part 35 and Practice Direction 35.
Which claims use MedCo, and which do not
MedCo has a narrow scope. It applies to the first medical report in qualifying low-value RTA claims in England and Wales, under the two protocols below. Most other medico-legal work sits outside it.
- RTA Small Claims Protocol claims (accidents on or after 31 May 2021, through Official Injury Claim): any first medical report obtained by a claimant living in England and Wales, and one must be obtained in a whiplash claim.
- Low Value RTA Protocol claims: the first report in a vehicle occupant soft-tissue claim, and in a whiplash claim, including a child's.
- Clinical negligence claims.
- Workplace accidents and industrial disease.
- Military, noise-induced hearing loss and other non-RTA injury claims.
If your claim is outside MedCo, you can instruct Expert Medical directly. See our clinical negligence, workplace accident and industrial disease pages.
MedCo accreditation
Medical experts who prepare the first fixed-cost report in a qualifying RTA claim must register with MedCo and complete its accreditation training, with continuing professional development to stay accredited. Medical Reporting Organisations are separately registered and audited against MedCo's qualifying criteria for MROs.
Accreditation is about consistency. It sets a common baseline for the experts producing MedCo reports, whichever provider is selected from the random shortlist.
Expert Medical and MedCo
Expert Medical Examination Ltd is an independent, MedCo registered Medical Reporting Organisation. For qualifying RTA claims, we may appear on the random shortlist a MedCo search returns, and we can be instructed only if the authorised user selects us from it. We do not, and cannot, offer any route around the MedCo search, because the randomisation is what keeps the evidence independent.
For claims outside MedCo, such as clinical negligence, workplace injury and industrial disease, you can instruct us directly. Either way, every report is written by a clinician on the GMC or HCPC register, prepared to CPR Part 35 and Practice Direction 35, and checked for compliance before delivery. We provide the medical evidence; we do not run the claim or give legal advice.
MedCo: frequently asked questions
What is MedCo?
MedCo is the online portal and accreditation scheme used to source the first medical report in qualifying low-value road traffic accident claims in England and Wales. It was introduced in April 2015 and is run by MedCo Registration Solutions, a private company limited by guarantee that operates in accordance with Ministry of Justice policy. The authorised user, usually the claimant's solicitor, runs a MedCo search and selects an accredited medical expert or a registered Medical Reporting Organisation (MRO) from the shortlist it returns.
Why was MedCo set up?
MedCo was introduced to break the commercial link between the party commissioning a whiplash report and the party providing it, and to curb expert shopping. By returning a random shortlist of experts or MROs for the user to select from, and by requiring accreditation, it is designed to improve the independence and quality of medical evidence in soft-tissue RTA claims.
How does the MedCo search and random shortlist work?
The authorised user first chooses whether to instruct an MRO or a direct medical expert. MedCo then returns a randomly generated shortlist, and the user selects one provider from it. For a represented claimant the MRO shortlist is 8 organisations, made up of 2 Tier 1 and 6 Tier 2; the direct medical expert shortlist is 7. The user cannot pre-select a particular provider.
What is the difference between a Tier 1 and a Tier 2 MRO?
MedCo classifies Medical Reporting Organisations into two tiers. Tier 1 covers high-volume national MROs, and Tier 2 covers other registered MROs, which are typically regional. In the represented-claimant MRO shortlist of 8, MedCo presents 2 Tier 1 and 6 Tier 2 organisations. Both tiers are presented on the same random shortlist, and the authorised user selects one provider from it.
What is the difference between an MRO and a direct medical expert?
A Medical Reporting Organisation (MRO) arranges the medical report, manages the expert panel, quality-checks the report and handles the administration. A direct medical expert (DME) is an individual accredited clinician instructed directly. On MedCo the authorised user chooses which route they want before the random shortlist is generated.
Which claims have to use MedCo?
MedCo must be used to source the first medical report in qualifying low-value RTA claims in England and Wales. Under the RTA Small Claims Protocol, for accidents on or after 31 May 2021, any first medical report obtained by a claimant living in England and Wales must be a fixed-cost report from a MedCo-accredited expert sourced through a MedCo search, and in a whiplash claim one must be obtained. Under the Low Value RTA Protocol, the rule covers the first report in a vehicle occupant soft-tissue claim and in a whiplash claim, including a child's. Non-RTA claims, such as clinical negligence, workplace injury and industrial disease, are instructed directly and do not go through MedCo.
What is a MedCo medical report?
A MedCo medical report is the first fixed-cost medical report in a qualifying low-value road traffic accident claim in England and Wales. It is written by a MedCo-accredited expert instructed after a MedCo search, sets out the claimant's injuries, diagnosis and prognosis, and carries the expert's statement of truth. Reports generated from 4 January 2027 must also include the examining expert's name and professional registration numbers.
Can a solicitor choose a specific medical expert on MedCo?
Only from the returned shortlist. For the first report in a qualifying RTA claim, MedCo generates a random shortlist and the authorised user selects one provider from it. The process is deliberately designed so that a particular expert or MRO cannot be pre-selected. This randomisation is what protects the independence of the medical evidence.
Do I need MedCo for a clinical negligence or workplace injury report?
No. MedCo applies to first medical reports in qualifying low-value RTA claims. Clinical negligence, workplace accidents, industrial disease, military and other non-RTA reports are outside the MedCo process and are instructed directly with the expert or MRO. Expert Medical prepares these reports to CPR Part 35 standards in the usual way.
What is MedCo accreditation?
Medical experts who provide the first fixed-cost report in a qualifying RTA claim must register with MedCo and complete its accreditation training and continuing professional development. Medical Reporting Organisations are separately registered and audited against MedCo's qualifying criteria for MROs. Both are intended to keep the quality and independence of medical evidence at a consistent level.
Is Expert Medical registered with MedCo?
Yes. Expert Medical Examination Ltd is a MedCo registered Medical Reporting Organisation, so we may appear on the random shortlist a MedCo search returns for the first report in a qualifying RTA claim, and can be instructed only if selected. We also prepare non-RTA medico-legal reports, such as clinical negligence, workplace and industrial disease, which are instructed directly. Every report is written to CPR Part 35 standards.
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