Consultant Adult Psychiatrist
Independent psychiatric assessment of adult survivors recalling abuse in childhood or suffered in adulthood. Diagnosis, causation, prognosis and quantum — to full CPR Part 35, FPR Part 25 and Istanbul Protocol standards.
What a consultant adult psychiatrist does in abuse litigation.
A consultant adult psychiatrist on our panel is a registered medical practitioner who has completed higher specialty training in general adult psychiatry, holds CCT and is entered on the GMC Specialist Register. In medico-legal work, the role is to provide an independent clinical opinion to the court on diagnosis, causation, severity and prognosis of psychiatric injury — most often in adult survivors of sexual, physical, emotional or institutional abuse.
Our instructed consultants treat the assessment as a forensic exercise, not a therapeutic one. The interview is structured, the findings are anchored to DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 criteria, records are reviewed methodically, and reasoning is set out transparently so that both sides and the court can follow the basis of the opinion.
Conditions we assess in abuse cases.
The presentations most frequently seen in adult survivors — diagnosed against DSM-5-TR / ICD-11 criteria, supported by standardised instruments where clinically appropriate.
What the report will address.
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01
Diagnosis
Current and past psychiatric diagnoses against DSM-5-TR / ICD-11 criteria, with clinical reasoning for inclusion and exclusion.
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02
Causation
Apportionment between the index abuse and other life stressors, with reference to records, premorbid history and relevant authorities.
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03
Severity & Prognosis
Impact on functioning, prognosis with and without treatment, and engagement with therapy to date — written for tariff and quantum purposes.
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04
Treatment & Cost
Recommended interventions (trauma-focused CBT, EMDR, pharmacological management), duration, and indicative private-sector cost.
Adult claimants across all procedural routes.
Civil claimants
Survivors pursuing personal injury and institutional abuse claims, including limitation applications under s.33 Limitation Act 1980.
CICA applicants
Adult applicants under the 2012 Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme — structured for mental injury tariff and disabling mental illness threshold.
Parties in family proceedings
Applicants and respondents in private law (PD12J) and public law care proceedings where psychiatric evidence is material.
Criminal defendants & complainants
Fitness to plead, diminished responsibility, pre-sentence psychiatric reports, and vulnerability assessments for complainants.
Asylum & trafficking
Istanbul Protocol reports and NRM expert evidence for the First-tier and Upper Tribunal (Immigration & Asylum Chamber).
Employment tribunal
Psychiatric injury claims arising from workplace harassment, sexual misconduct and Equality Act breaches at remedy stage.
Consultant adult psychiatrist — quick answers.
What qualifications do your consultant adult psychiatrists hold?
All consultants on our panel hold full GMC registration with a licence to practise, are on the Specialist Register in General Adult Psychiatry, and hold MRCPsych. Most also hold substantive NHS consultant posts, ensuring their clinical practice is current and their evidence reflects contemporary standards.
Can the claimant request a male or female psychiatrist?
Yes, as a matter of routine — particularly important in sexual abuse cases. Preference is noted at intake and allocation is adjusted accordingly, without affecting the agreed timetable.
Can you attend the claimant at home, in hospital or in prison?
Yes. Venue is decided on clinical grounds at intake — central London clinics, domiciliary visits across the M25, NHS and private wards, HMP establishments and secure psychiatric units are all within scope. Secure video link is available where remote assessment is clinically appropriate.
Do you accept Legal Aid Agency rates?
Yes, where prior authority has been granted. We can provide draft scope and costings to support Prior Authority applications before work commences, and report at current LAA rates thereafter.
How long is a typical report?
A full Condition & Prognosis report typically runs 25–40 pages, depending on the complexity of the history and the volume of records reviewed. Addendum and supplementary reports are shorter and scoped to the specific question raised.
Need a consultant adult psychiatrist?
Send a brief case summary — we respond within minutes and confirm expert, scope and timetable the same working day.