Consultant Clinical Psychologist

Current Appointments:

I am in full time employment within the NHS, where I dedicate my time to working within specialist forensic inpatient services. I am head of psychology for low and medium secure inpatients services, and a low secure inpatient learning disability service at the Yorkshire Centre for Forensic Psychiatry in Wakefield. In addition to working with adult male and female in patients with severe and enduring mental health difficulties, complex psychological and emotional needs, neurodiversity and developmental issues, substance misuse histories, and a range of forensic issues, I have led on the implementation of Trauma Informed Care across our inpatient care group.

In my current role, I regularly assess, formulate and provide intervention for a range of complex clinical presentations and risk behaviours. My own clinical caseload incorporates specialist assessment of mental health, personality disorder, violence risk, risk of sexual violence and developmental disorders. This includes neuropsychological assessments when clinically relevant. I also provide a range of bespoke psychological therapies, including psychodynamic psychotherapy.

A high proportion of my current work involves supporting and supervising a large team of psychologists across forensic inpatients providing assessment, formulation, and intervention strategies. I routinely provide advice and consultancy for a wide range of psychological and forensic needs. I am accustomed to preparing detailed assessment, formulation and intervention reports for a range of audiences and professional agencies with responsibility for the protection of the public. I routinely supervise the reports written by others.

I am a visiting lecturer at the University of Leeds and at The University of Sheffield.

Qualifications and registration

Batchelor of Science (BSc) Honours degree in psychology (with Sociology)

Sheffield Hallam Unversity, Sheffield, 2002

Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsy)

The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, 2010

Registered by the Health Professions Council (HPC) as a Clinical Psychologist (PYL26662)

DBS Registration No. C4558247556

Previous experience

I have worked extensively with vulnerable adults who have experienced physical, psychological, emotional and sexual abuse, neglect and exploitation. I am knowledgeable within the area of trauma and offending. In my previous role I led a multi-disciplinary, tier two intensive support service providing in-depth assessment and intervention to adults with learning disabilities and neurodiversity who found themselves in contact with the criminal justice system, at the point of placement breakdown, or subject to the Mental Health Act. My team worked into Tier one services with the aim of generating strategies to avoid mental health or behavioural deterioration, or with Tier three, inpatient services with the remit of delivering proactive and reactive strategies to manage their care. Those service users were often in out of area placements, and repatriation to their local area as part of the transforming care agenda was integral to my work.

I have generated a wealth of experience as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist within a community learning disability team in providing consultation and supervision to multi-disciplinary professionals, local authority services, other NHS and private organizations advising on the psychological, social and behavioural needs of vulnerable adults, within the criminal justice system, or at risk of entering it. In addition, I have extensive experience of attending and contributing to Care and Treatment Reviews for those individuals.

My training as a Clinical Psychologist comprised of six-month work placements within a specialist adult community team, older adults community and inpatient services, child and adolescent mental health services and a community learning disability team. Prior to my clinical training I worked at group programmes within the National Probation Service delivering specialist evidence-based interventions to groups of offenders. These involved thinking skills and problem-solving programmes such as Think First, Addressing Substance Related Offending, and Drink Driving interventions.