Medico-Legal Experience

Dr Ernst Scriba is a highly experienced Consultant in Spinal Cord Rehabilitation with an extensive background in both clinical practice and medico-legal practice.

Since 2002, Dr Scriba has been actively engaged as a medico-legal expert, contributing his in-depth knowledge of spinal injuries and rehabilitation to legal cases. His clinical expertise, combined with his detailed understanding of prognosis and patient outcomes, makes him a trusted resource for solicitors seeking expert testimony in complex medico-legal cases involving spinal cord injuries.

Clinical Experience

Dr Scriba is a highly experienced consultant in spinal cord rehabilitation with a career spanning over three decades. He earned his MBChB from the University of Stellenbosch in 1991 and later completed an MPhil in Exercise Science in 2003, building a strong academic foundation for his extensive clinical practice. His career has been largely focused on the management of complex spinal cord injuries (SCI), traumatic brain injuries, amputations, and stroke rehabilitation.

Dr Scriba served as Principal Medical Officer at the Western Cape Rehabilitation Centre (WCRC) from 2004 to 2020, where he was responsible for overseeing the post-acute care of spinal cord injury patients, leading daily ward rounds in a 52-bed rehabilitation ward, and coordinating a multidisciplinary team of specialists, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and social workers. He provided comprehensive care for long-term ventilated tetraplegic patients and was involved in the urological management of SCI patients, performing procedures such as urodynamics and cysto-urethrograms. Prior to this, Dr Scriba held senior positions at Conradie Hospital from 1997 to 2004, where he further honed his expertise in spinal injury care and ICU management, performing intubations, bronchoscopies, and resuscitation of SCI patients.

In addition to his roles in South Africa, Dr Scriba has gained UK experience through locum consultant work, including his current position at the Llandough Spinal Cord Rehabilitation Unit in Cardiff, which he began in 2023. He has also worked in various private rehabilitation and step-down practices in Stellenbosch from 2020 to 2023, providing tailored rehabilitation services to a wide range of patients. His extensive experience in the UK includes over a decade of locum work in A&E departments and private rehabilitation units.

Special Interests

SCI – Pressure injuries (on ISCoS subcommittee)

Memberships of Professional Bodies

• Member & Vice Chair, South African Spinal Cord Association (SASCA)
• Member of the International Society of Physical Rehab and Medicine (ISPRM)
• Member of the South African Society of Physical Rehab and Medicine (SASPRM)
• Member of the International Spinal Cord Society (ISCoS)

Further information

Download Mr Scriba’s CV to learn more about his research publications, qualifications and more.