Defines Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and discusses the advantages of providing "Critical Incident Stress Debriefing" (CISD) to those who have witnessed traumatic events to prevent them developing PTSD. Outlines the development of CISD, the procedure itself and concerns arising from medical studies into its effectiveness. Examines the legal implications, including the existence of a duty of care to provide CISD or liability for debriefings which are negligently provided. Sets out briefly the status of psychological debriefing amongst support organisations
