QUALIFICATIONS

BSc (Hons) in Psychology, University College London

MSc in Clinical Psychology), North East London Polytechnic (now the University of East London)

PhD in Psychology, Birkbeck College, University of London

MSc in Forensic Psychology, Manchester Metropolitan University

APPOINTMENTS

Honorary Lecturer, Department of Psychology, University of Sheffield

Clinical Psychologist in private practice (also Chartered Forensic Psychologist from 2003)

Consultant Clinical Forensic Psychologist, Wathwood Hospital (Regional Secure Unit), Rotherham (.5 wte)

MEMBERSHIP OF PROFESSIONAL AND LEARNED SOCIETIES

SUMMARY OF CURRENT WORK

I am a chartered clinical forensic psychologist with 42 years' experience working both in the Health Service and privately, assessing and treating people with psychological disorders and difficulties. Since 1992 I have worked privately in clinical practice and I regularly undertake psychological assessments for legal purposes. My work at Wathwood Hospital was with patients detained under various sections of the Mental Health Act.

I provide psychological profiles of accused and convicted defendants, and expert testimony for legal purposes (pre-trial, pre-sentencing, soundness of confession, risk assessment, etc.). To date I have undertaken over 320 such assessments. 

Also, to date I have provided about 570 medico-legal reports for solicitors on assessments of psychological injury. I generally work with a client group of 16 years and over but also see children with post-traumatic stress. I receive instructions for personal injury, usually road-traffic accidents, but also accidents and harassment at work and clinical negligence. I estimate that around 90% of my instructions were formerly from the claimant’s side, but now I am now undertaking more work as the agreed expert witness, probably around 50%. 

I have undertaken training in the Civil Justice Procedures with Howell’s Solicitors, Sheffield, and Thomas Sands Training.

Work and experience involving hypnosis

From 1990 to 2000 I was Administrator of the Diploma and Masters Courses in Clinical Hypnosis at the University of Sheffield, and from 1993 to 1999 I was Assistant Administrator of the Diploma and Masters Courses in Applied/Clinical Hypnosis at the Department of Psychology of University College, London.

From 1979 to 1995 I was Honorary Secretary of the British Society of Experimental and Clinical Hypnosis, a learned society of doctors, dentists and psychologists and later I was for several years its President. In the last 30 years I have published many learned papers and chapters on hypnosis in scientific journals and books and have lectured on the subject throughout Europe and in Israel, Canada and the USA. In the last 24 years I have edited, co-edited and co-authored eight learned books on the subject of hypnosis and its clinical applications. In 2001 I was convenor of a Working Party commissioned by the British Psychological Society to prepare a report on hypnosis, its various applications, and matters of ethics and safety.

I have provided expert opinion in around 25 civil and criminal cases in which hypnosis or related procedures have been used or allegedly so. Most of these have involved allegations of psychological injury or indecent assault. I have to date published a number of learned papers and lectured and taught on this aspect of my work in this country and in Europe.

TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT

I usually see claimants in civil cases at my private office in Sheffield. In the case of defendants in criminal cases, unless he or she is in custody I see him or her at the instructing solicitors' offices. Please contact me for details of fees. I do not charge VAT. Currently the period of time elapsing between receipt of instructions for civil cases and submission of the report is around two weeks. For Crown Court reports the period depends on the urgency of the case.

I also have a small private practice at my office in Sheffield where I undertake assessments and therapy with clients who have mental health and other psychological problems. Please contact me for details of my terms.