Find the right expert for your needs

If you need a specialist, independent mental health expert, no other organisation can provide the quality and range of experts that St Andrew’s can. One call can provide you with the right mental health expert for your medico-legal needs.

Expert Directory: Click here to view our latest Medico-Legal brochure

We work with over 30 practicing mental health professionals who can provide a comprehensive, independent mental health review, or medico-legal report for any form of legal proceeding. Our nationwide service supports both prosecution and defence.

Our experts, many of whom are recognised leaders in their field, care for individuals with some of the most complex mental health illnesses in the UK, often with an offending background and complex needs, which means they have the knowledge and expertise to provide you with the highest quality medico-legal reports. We can match your case with the right clinician first time, saving you valuable time and money.

Who we support:

• solicitors 
• the crown prosecution service 
• police forces 
• courts 
• coroners 
• lawyers 
• magistrates 
• general practitioners 
• Other healthcare providers

 

Experts in mental health

We are proud of our experts working as part of our medico-legal service and the reputations they have built up over many years. Many of our dedicated Psychiatrists and Psychologists are qualified in mental health law and have completed Bond Solon Expert Witness certificates. With experience in providing expert opinion, delivering independent reviews and producing medico-legal reports, our team are specialists in their field.

Our experts cover a broad range of specialisms, particularly across the following:

  • men’s mental health
  • women’s mental health
  • child and adolescent mental health
  • learning disability
  • autistic spectrum disorder
  • personality disorder
  • neuropsychiatry – including brain injury, Huntington’s disease and dementia

Proceedings we cover

• criminal justice 
• civil law
• fitness to plead
• capacity issues
• personal injury
• independent mental health review tribunals
• parole board applications
• child care
• family proceedings

 

Recognised experts: As leaders in their mental health fields, many of our experts have contributed to high profile research publications.

Quality assured: Our peer review system ensures that our medico-legal reports are regularly assessed by other experts to guarantee excellence, results and client satisfaction. All of our Psychiatrists are approved under Section 12(2) of the Mental Health Act 1983 (amended 2007), as having special experience in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. Our Psychologists are all registered with the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC). 

Cost effective: Our prices are in-line with Legal Aid Authority (LAA) guidelines.

 

Finding the right expert witness

For us to find you a suitable clinician, we will require the following information:

  • Client’s name/initials
  • Client’s date of birth/age
  • If the client has any pre-diagnosed learning difficulties
  • If client is able to travel to Northampton for the assessment and if not, where the assessment would need to take place. Please note that our clinicians do not undertake home visits. A remote assessment is available if necessary.
  • If the client has any particular needs (i.e. personal, cultural, spiritual) or requirements (i.e. interpreter)
  • If there is a deadline for the completed report
  • How much paperwork there is for this case, including medical records (please provide a page count if possible)
  • How the report is to be funded – Legal Aid/Privately funded
  • Brief outline of the case

Once we have received your enquiry:

  • We will contact our suitable clinicians and provide you with CVs and an estimate of fees
  • Once funding is confirmed and a letter of instruction is provided by yourselves, we will contact our clinicians for their next available assessment date.

For each case we will require copies of the following paperwork:

  • A letter of instruction, agreeing funding in relation to the estimate of fees provided and the Consultant’s Terms & Conditions, and also outlining the requirements of the report.
  • A copy of the CRM 4, if case is being funded by Legal Aid
  • Case papers, including case summary, witness statements, Police Computer Print outs (if necessary)
  • Copies of any previous expert reports in relation to the case
  • Copies of GP medical records

 

Dr Alexandra Getz

Dr Alexandra Getz

  • Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist
  • MBBCh, MRCPsych, PGDip
  • Civil
  • 4-6 weeks
  • Based in London, will travel, remote assessments available
  • Expertise in unstable personality disorder, historic sexual abuse, post-traumatic stress
  • Specialises in General Psychiatry with particular reference to Women’s Mental Health and Forensic Psychiatry, and psychiatric damage caused by past trauma. Has attended Bond Solon expert training. Section 12(2) Approved.
Dr Ashimesh Roychowdhury

Dr Ashimesh Roychowdhury

  • Consultant General Adult and Forensic Psychiatrist
  • MBChB MRCPsych MDCH DipFMH MBA CMgr MCMI
  • Civil
  • 4 weeks
  • Based at St Andrew’s Northampton, will also assess in London
  • Historic abuse, trauma and medical negligence, causation
  • Psychiatric causation reports following historical abuse, trauma or medical negligence. Has undertaken reports for high profile cases. Section 12(2) Approved. Expert Witness Certification through Cardiff Law School and has attended Bond Solon expert train
Dr Geraldine D’Souza

Dr Geraldine D’Souza

  • Consultant Forensic Neuropsychiatrist
  • M.B.B.S, MRCPsych, PGDipCBT
  • Civil and Criminal
  • 4-6 weeks
  • Based in Northampton. Remote assessments available.
  • Expertise in neuropsychiatric and cognitive difficulties such as brain injury, memory Impairment and dementia.
  • Specialises in assessing and treating mental disorders in individuals aged 18 years old and over. This includes mood disorders (such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar affective disorder), psychosis, ADHD, PTSD and somatoform disorders. Section 12(2) App
Dr Sally Foster

Dr Sally Foster

  • Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist
  • MB ChB MRCPsych Dip Mental Health Law Dip Clinical Psychiatry
  • Criminal
  • 4 – 6 weeks
  • Based at St Andrew’s Northampton. Will travel and remote assessments available
  • Fitness to plead, General Adult Psychiatry (male)
  • Specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of male mental disorder, including psychosis, and affective disorders, and personality disorder. Also specialises in Mental Health Tribunals and fitness to plead. Section 12(2) Approved. Has undertaken Bond Solon
Dr Keith Jenkins

Dr Keith Jenkins

  • Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist
  • BSc (Hons), Dip Clin Psychol, Pg Dip, PhD, C Psychol, CSci, AFBPsS
  • Civil
  • 4 – 6 weeks
  • Based at St Andrew’s Northampton
  • Expertise in neuropsychological aspects of Brain Injury.
  • Specialises in the behavioural and cognitive change subsequent to Brain Injury, including Acquired Brain Injury following a Road Traffic Accident. Section 12(2) Approved.
Dr Alexander Hamilton

Dr Alexander Hamilton

  • Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist
  • BM MRCPsych
  • Criminal
  • 4 – 6 weeks
  • Based at St Andrew’s Northampton. Will travel.
  • Expertise in mental disorder in Deaf people
  • Specialises in forensic psychiatry and mental disorder in Deaf people. Trained in British Sign Language. Requires an NRCPD registered BSL interpreter at assessment. Is Section 12(2) Approved. Has undertaken Bond Solon expert training.
Dr Ali Isa Alfaraj

Dr Ali Isa Alfaraj

  • Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist
  • MD, MRCPsych, Board Psych, DPM, MSc CBT, MSc Mental Health (Dist), MSc Psychology
  • Civil
  • 4- 6 weeks
  • Based at St Andrew’s Birmingham. Remote assessments available.
  • Expertise in General Adult Psychiatry
  • Specialises in General Adult Psychiatry and Mental Health Review Tribunals.
Dr Farshad Shaddel

Dr Farshad Shaddel

  • Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist
  • MD, MRCPsych, PGDip (LATHE)
  • Criminal and Civil
  • 4 weeks
  • Remote assessments only
  • Expertise in ASD/LD
  • Specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders, particularly learning disabilities and cognitive deficits. Section 12(2) Approved. Has undertaken Bond Solon expert training.
Dr  Katina Anagnostakis

Dr Katina Anagnostakis

  • Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist
  • MBChB; MMedSci; MRCPsych
  • Civil and Criminal
  • 6 – 8 weeks
  • Based in Nottingham. Will travel or remote assessments available.
  • Personality disorder, trauma, substance abuse
  • Specialises in general adult psychiatry in women with complex co-morbidity of mental illness, personality disorder, trauma related and substance abuse disorders. Has undertaken reports for high profile cases. Section 12(2) Approved.
Dr Lucy Warner

Dr Lucy Warner

  • Chartered and Registered Consultant Forensic Psychologist
  • BA, MSc, Forens.Psy.D, CPsychol.
  • Civil and Criminal
  • 4 – 6 weeks
  • Based at St Andrew’s Northampton. Will travel.
  • Expertise in forensic psychology in young adults and adolescents, ASD/LD and ADHD
  • Specialises in working with young people, both within mental health and criminal justice settings, providing assessment, formulation and interventions. Also specialises in mental health difficulties, Developmental Disabilities and attachment difficulties,
Dr Paul Wallang

Dr Paul Wallang

  • Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist
  • B.Sc. MB.ChB MRCPsych, MBA, CMgrMCMI
  • Civil
  • 8 weeks
  • Based in London, remote assessments available.
  • Expertise in post-traumatic stress and Grenfell
  • Specialises in General Psychiatry with particular reference to post-traumatic stress and the impact of past trauma on mental state. Has prepared reports for the Grenfell inquest and other high profile cases. Section 12(2) Approved. Has undertaken Bond Sol
Dr Shahzad Alikhan

Dr Shahzad Alikhan

  • Consultant Forensic Neuropsychiatrist
  • MA (Cantab) MBBS LLM MRCPsych
  • Criminal and Civil
  • 4-6 weeks
  • Based at St Andrew’s Northampton, remote assessments available
  • Expertise in asylum and immigration, torture, human rights, deportation and extradition cases
  • Specialises in neuropsychiatry, brain injury and cognitive impairment, capacity and court of protection issues. Also specialises in general psychiatry (men and women), personal injury, PTSD, personality disorder, fitness to plead, insanity, sentencing/dis
Dr Elizabeth Beber

Dr Elizabeth Beber

  • Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist
  • MBBS, MA, FRCPsych, PGDip
  • Criminal and Civil
  • 4 weeks
  • Based at St Andrew’s Northampton, will travel and remote assessments available
  • Expertise in ASD/LD, personality disorder, Coroner Inquests
  • Specialises in the assessment and management of mental disorder (including acute mental illness, personality disorder and challenging behaviour), Autism Spectrum Disorder, stalking behaviour and epilepsy in people with Learning Disability. Has extensive e
Dr Donna Arya

Dr Donna Arya

  • Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist
  • MBBS BSc (Hons) MRCPsych PG Cert
  • Criminal
  • 4 – 6 weeks
  • Based at St Andrew’s Northampton. Will travel.
  • Expertise in mental disorder in Deaf people
  • Specialises in forensic psychiatry and mental disorder in Deaf people. Trained in British Sign Language. Requires an NRCPD registered BSL interpreter at assessment. Is Section 12(2) Approved. Has undertaken Bond Solon expert training.
Dr Shazad Farooq

Dr Shazad Farooq

  • Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist
  • MD, MRCPsych, PLAB, CCT
  • Criminal and Civil
  • 4-6 weeks
  • Based at St Andrew’s Birmingham, remote assessments available
  • General adult psychiatry
  • Specialises in general adult psychiatry, old age psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry and forensic psychiatry including prison psychiatry. Section 12(2) Approved.
Dr Shubhinder Shergill

Dr Shubhinder Shergill

  • Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist
  • BSc(Hons) MBBS MRCPsych
  • Civil and Criminal
  • 4-6 weeks
  • Based in London, remote assessments available
  • Expertise in ASD and learning disabilities
  • Specialises in learning disability and autistic spectrum disorder, as well as general adult psychiatry and personality disorder. Also has experience in schizophrenia, mood disorders, and adult ADHD, PTSD and head injury. Section 12(2) Approved. Has undert
 Rupinder Singh

Rupinder Singh

  • HCPC Registered Forensic Psychologist
  • BSc (Hons), MSc Forens.Psy, Pg Dip
  • Criminal
  • 4 – 6 weeks
  • Will travel.
  • Expertise in Psychological risk assessments, Parole Board Hearings
  • Specialises in complex individuals presenting with conditions such as Personality Disorder, Autism, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and mental health issues. Also has experience delivering Autism diagnostic assessments with older children

Get in touch

Please complete our enquiry form to help us assist with your medico-legal enquiry.

Send the form to medico-legal@stah.org, or call us to discuss your enquiry on 01604 616070.

More information

Download our brochure and enquiry form

Enquiry form Medico-legal service brochure

Join Us

If you are an expert and would like to work with us, please contact us at medico-legal@stah.org for more information.