Grange Psychological Services
Dr Harry Wood

Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Forensic Psychologist

Current Appointments:

I am in full time independent practice as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Forensic Psychologist, providing expert witness reports to the courts, as well as for the police and HM Prisons and Probation Service. I report to the civil, criminal and family courts, as well as other tribunals.

Recent Case Involvement:
  • Criminal: assessment of fitness to plead in defendants with learning disabilities; assessment of Autism Spectrum Disorder; assessment of risk (sexual offending, violent offending and stalking) to inform sentencing; advising on options for treatment in defendants with personality disorder.
  • Civil: assessment of psychological injuries following accidents; commenting on causation and prognosis in relation to psychological illness following trauma; assessment of psychological harm resulting from medical negligence.
  • Family: assessment of capacity to engage in legal proceedings in cases involving parents with learning disabilities; assessment of risk in parents convicted of sexual offences; commenting on the effect of personality disorder on parents’ ability to care for their children.

Although I accept instructions from the Crown Prosecution Service, I am more often instructed by the defence in criminal proceedings. I accept instructions from both defendant and claimant in civil cases; the ratio is around 3:1 (defendant: claimant). I am usually instructed as a single joint expert in family cases.

I complete parole board assessments on behalf of HM Prison and Probation Service. These mostly involve life sentence or indeterminate sentence prisoners, who have been convicted of serious offences. I provide live evidence to the parole board on a regular basis.

I am instructed by police officers investigating cases involving complainants or suspects who are vulnerable as a result of learning disabilities, Autism Spectrum Disorder, personality disorder and/or other forms of mental disorder.

In addition to working as an expert witness I work as an external consultant, supporting forensic treatment services. I have recently been involved in the assessment and treatment of men with severe and enduring mental health problems convicted of sexual offences in a low secure hospital, and in the development of a medium secure service for men with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

I am also employed as an external consultant by the Health Service Executive in the Republic of Ireland, where I assist a community forensic team with complex cases. My role involves commenting on risk and forensic issues, including capacity, and to advise on case management/treatment.

I have completed psychological assessments in the Caribbean on behalf of a human rights charity, The Death Penalty Project.

I am an affiliate lecturer at the University of Huddersfield. I am a clinical consultant to the editorial board of the Journal of Criminal Psychology.

Qualifications and Registration:
  • Bachelor of Science (BSc) Psychology: University College London, 1996
  • Master of Science (MSc) Forensic Psychology:  University of Surrey, 1999                    
  • Doctor of Clinical Psychology (D. Clin. Psy.): University College London: 2002
  • Chartered by the British Psychological Society as a Clinical Psychologist.
  • Registered by the Health Professions Council (HPC) as a Clinical Psychologist and as a Forensic Psychologist.
  • Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (AFBPsS).
  • Practitioner in Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT) and an accredited CAT therapist.
Previous Experience:

I was previously employed as Lead Psychologist at a low secure hospital for women with mental health problems and personality disorder. Prior to this I worked at the Yorkshire Centre for Forensic Psychiatry, Newton Lodge Regional Secure Unit, where I was employed as a Consultant Psychologist. I was based in the learning disability service where I provided psychological assessment and intervention for adult men with learning disabilities, mental health problems, personality disorders and offending behaviour. I held this post for six-years.

I was previously employed as a Forensic Clinical Psychologist by South West Yorkshire NHS Trust, low secure services (The Castle Hill Unit and Newhaven; 2002 to 2005) and Rampton High Secure Hospital in the Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder (DSPD) service (2005 to 2007). These posts involved providing psychological assessment of personality, mental state and risk, and developing and implementing interventions targeting factors associated with learning disabilities, mental health, personality disorder and offending behaviour. I also have experience of working in a medium secure hospital environment (North Thames Forensic Service, 2001-2002) and have worked with adults with learning disability living within the community (1997-1999). My training as a Clinical Psychologist included 6-month work placements in general psychiatry, older adults (including neuropsychology), Child and Adolescent Mental Health (including Youth Offending Team) and Assertive Outreach.