Application process and appointment

Yes. To minimise disruption to criminal proceedings, there will be a transitional phase where expert evidence by psychiatrists who are not on the Panel will remain admissible in criminal proceedings if any of the following scenarios apply:

• Transitional Scenario 1: Where the expert evidence is adduced in Court between 31 December 2025 and 28 February 2026.

• Transitional Scenario 2: Where the psychiatrist has submitted his application between 31 December 2025 and 28 February 2026; and

  • the application is pending; or

  • there is a pending appeal against the Selection Committee’s decision or the psychiatrist is still within the timelines for filing an appeal.

• Transitional Scenario 3: Where the psychiatrist's treatment or assessment of the subject had started before 31 December 2025.

If none of the scenarios above apply, the psychiatrist’s expert evidence will not be admissible in criminal proceedings if he or she is not on the Panel.

More information can be found in the Criminal Justice Reform (Saving and Transitional Provisions) Regulations 2025.

Barring any complications or delays arising from further checks:

• For applications that are received between 31 December 2025 and 31 January 2026, successful applicants will be appointed to the Panel of Psychiatrists on 1 March 2026.  

• For applications that are received between 1 February 2026 and 28 February 2026, successful applicants will be appointed to the Panel of Psychiatrists on 1 April 2026.

Applicants in either of the two categories above may continue to provide psychiatric expert evidence in criminal proceedings even if their application is still being processed, as they fall within Transitional Scenario 2 (see Question (1) above).

For applications received after 28 February 2026, the turnaround time is expected to be ~1 to 2 months. Appointments will be made on a monthly basis, at the start of each month.

The psychiatrist should first check if he falls within any of the Transitional Scenarios. The psychiatrist should submit an application to the Selection Committee as soon as possible and send an email to the Secretariat to the Selection Committee at Secretariat@psychpanel.gov.sg to request for his application to be reviewed on an expedited basis. The email should include details on the Court matter and the reasons why the application was not submitted earlier.

Please note that while the Selection Committee will consider genuine requests on case-by-case basis, it may not be feasible to accommodate every request, particularly if a high volume of applications is being processed at the same time.

The successful applicant will be notified of the outcome of the application.

The applicant’s name will be published on the website as a member of the Panel of Psychiatrists.

The unsuccessful applicant will be notified in writing of the outcome of the application and the Selection Committee’s reason(s) for refusing the appointment. The applicant may file an appeal against the decision of the Selection Committee. More information about the appeal process can be found here.

Please note that unless allowed by the Selection Committee, the unsuccessful applicant will not be able to make another application for appointment to the Panel until at least one year after the date of the refusal.

Each appointment is for a period of up to 2 years. The applicant will be notified of the duration of his or her appointment.