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 psychodynamic psychoanalysis, DBT therapist
  • Dr Getz specialises in women’s and men's mental health and personality disorders and the impact of trauma on mental state.
  • Expertise: unstable personality disorder, schizophrenia, learning disability, Asperger's, eating disorders.
Dr Ashimesh Roychowdhury

Dr Ashimesh Roychowdhury

  • Consultant General Adult and Forensic Psychiatrist
  • MBChB, MRCPsych, MDCH, DipFMH, MBA, CMgr, MCMI
  • Dr Roychowdhury has extensive experience in preparing civil reports related to past trauma.
  • He reports on fitness to plead, ‘dangerousness’ in both criminal and civil courts.
Dr Carlo Thomas

Dr Carlo Thomas

  • Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist
  • MBBS, MRCPsych, MSc (Cognitive Studies), PGCert (Autism), Associate Fellow (HEA)
  • Specialisms: Forensic Psychiatry, Autism Spectrum Disorder, intellectual disabilities, risk assessment, offenders, stalking, spousal violence, personality disorder
  • Registrations: Royal College of Psychiatrists, National Autistic Society, University of Dundee, Sheffield Hallam University, Cambridge University
  • 170+ past cases, including murder and serious assault
Dr Geraldine D’Souza

Dr Geraldine D’Souza

  • Consultant Psychiatrist
  • MBBS, MRCPsych, PGDipCBT
  • Specialist subjects: Older Adults, neuropsychiatry, cognitive impairment and Dementia
  • Dr D/Souza is experienced in conducting assessments and producing reports for personal injury, capacity for wills and probates and fitness to plead cases.
Dr Sally Foster

Dr Sally Foster

  • Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist
  • MB ChB MRCPsych Dip Mental Health Law Dip Clinical Psychiatry
  • Specialist subjects: Men's Mental illness (psychosis, affective disorders), personality disorder
  • Dr Foster is an experienced Forensic Psychiatrist with over 15 years’ experience of undertaking medico legal assessments, appearing in court over 50 times.
Dr Keith G Jenkins

Dr Keith G Jenkins

  • Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist & Lead Psychologist Neuropsychiatry
  • BSc(Hons), Dip Clin Psychol, Pg Dip (Neuropsychology), Pg Cert (MH Law), PhD, CSci, CPsychol, AFBPsS
  • Specialist subjects: Neuropsychology, especially acquired brain injury causing cognitive, emotional and behavioural issues
  • Neuropsychological assessments for the Court in connection with civil litigation; expert opinion on injury, liability and mental capacity.
  • Dr Jenkins is the Chairman of Headway East Northants and of the Northamptonshire Acquired Brain Injury Forum.
Dr Alex Hamilton

Dr Alex Hamilton

  • Forensic Consultant Psychiatrist
  • BM MRCPsych, MSc Mental Health (Dist), MSc Psychology
  • Personality Disorder, Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Older Adults
Dr Ali Isa Alfaraj

Dr Ali Isa Alfaraj

  • Forensic Consultant Psychiatrist
  • MD, MRCPsych, Board Psych, DPM, MSc CBT, MSc Mental Health (Dist), MSc Psychology
  • Personality Disorder
Dr Anund Ranganathan

Dr Anund Ranganathan

  • Forensic Consultant Neuropsychiatrist
  • MBBS MRCPsych CCT
  • Neuropsychiatry, ADHD, Brain Injury
Dr Farshad Shaddel

Dr Farshad Shaddel

  • Forensic Consultant Psychiatrist
  • MD, MCRPsych, SFHE
  • Personality Disorder, Learning Disability, Asperger's and Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Older Adults
Dr  Katina Anagnostakis

Dr Katina Anagnostakis

  • Forensic Consultant Psychiatrist and Associate Medical Director
  • MBChB; MMedSci; MRCPsych
  • Complex co-morbidity of mental illness, personality disorder, trauma related and substance abuse disorders.
 Lucy Cygan

Lucy Cygan

  • Forensic psychologist
  • BSc. (Hons), ForenPsyD
  • Learning Disability, Asperger's and Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Adolescents
 Lucy Pomroy

Lucy Pomroy

  • Chartered and Registered Forensic Psychologist
  • BSc. (Hons), ForenPsyD
  • Learning Disability, Asperger's and Autistic Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, Adolescents, Trauma and Forensic
 Lucy Warner

Lucy Warner

  • Chartered and Registered Consultant Forensic Psychologist
  • BA, MSc, Forens.Psy.D, CPsychol.
  • Learning Disability, Asperger's and Autistic Spectrum Disorder, ADHD
Dr Muthusamy Natarajan

Dr Muthusamy Natarajan

  • Forensic Consultant Psychiatrist
  • MBBS, MRCPsych
  • Older Adults and General Psychiatry, Risk Assessment
Dr Naeem Suleman

Dr Naeem Suleman

  • Forensic Consultant Neuropsychiatrist
  • MBBS MRCPsych
  • Neuropsychiatry, Older Adults, Brain Injury
Dr Paul Wallang

Dr Paul Wallang

  • Forensic Consultant Psychiatrist
  • BSc. MB.ChB MRCPsych MBA CMgr MCMI
  • Personality Disorder, Learning Disability, Asperger's and Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Grenfell Cases, Women with Neuro-Developmental Disability and Offending Histories
Dr Shahzad Alikhan

Dr Shahzad Alikhan

  • Forensic Consultant Neuropsychiatrist
  • MA (Cantab) MBBS LLM CCT MRCPsych
  • Neuropsychiatry, Older Adults, Brain Injury and General Psychiatry

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.