Dr Jonathan Hayden Smith

Dr Jonathan Hayden Smith

Consultant Paediatric Cardiothoracic Anaesthetist & Certified Expert Witness

MB ChB, MRCP (UK), FRCA, CUBS (Civil & Criminal), MEWI

Professional Profile

Dr Jonathan Hayden Smith is a leading specialist in Paediatric Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia and Intensive Care with over 29 years of clinical experience. An Associate Clinical Lecturer at Newcastle University, he specializes in the anaesthesia of children for complex surgery, airway management, and the management of critically ill neonates and children.

Throughout his distinguished career at the Freeman Hospital—one of the UK's two paediatric cardiac transplant hubs—Dr Smith has been at the forefront of congenital heart surgery and mechanical life support.

 

Medico-Legal Expertise

With 19 years of experience as an expert witness, Dr Smith provides authoritative reports and testimony in cases involving:

• Paediatric and Cardiothoracic Anaesthesia

• Paediatric Intensive Care (PICU)

• Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) and VAD therapies

He has authored over 70 specialist reports, frequently attending joint conferences with counsel and providing expert evidence in both Inquests and Court. Dr Smith is a member of the Expert Witness Institute and holds both the Cardiff University Bond Solon (CUBS) Civil and Criminal Certificates (2024), ensuring his practice meets the highest standards of legal compliance.

 

Clinical Leadership & Governance

Dr Smith’s expertise is sought after at the highest levels of healthcare regulation and oversight:

• CQC & NHS England: He has conducted external peer reviews for the Care Quality Commission and reviewed complex clinical issues at the request of NHS England and Hospital Medical Directors.

• ECMO Leadership: He led the Freeman Hospital ECMO program until 2018 and is the editor of the Freeman Hospital VAD and ECMO Manual.

• Academic Contribution: An active peer reviewer for journals including Intensive Care Medicine, Paediatric Anaesthesia, and Thorax.