High Court judge provides guidance on applications for psychological assessments in care proceedings – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 27th, 2024 in care orders, family courts, news, psychiatrists, social services by tracey

‘A High Court judge has given guidance on when applications for a psychologist to undertake a cognitive assessment in care proceedings should be made and the approach that the Family Court should take, warning that “misconceived applications are exceedingly common”.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 27th February 2024

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Sexual violence victims in UK forced to wait years for counselling and support – The Guardian

‘Victims of sexual violence in England and Wales are facing waits of up to two and a half years for counselling, help with the legal system and trauma therapy, according to figures obtained by the Observer.’

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The Guardian, 16th July 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

New guidance aims to restrict use of unregulated psychologists as expert witnesses in court – The Guardian

Posted June 26th, 2023 in codes of practice, expert witnesses, judges, mental health, news, psychiatrists by tracey

‘Family judges who appoint unregulated psychologists as expert witnesses in the courts should issue a judgment to explain their decision, according to updated guidance designed to protect the public from inadequately trained professionals.’

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The Guardian, 25th June 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Judge jails fake NHS psychiatrist and criticises ‘abject failure of scrutiny’ – The Guardian

Posted March 1st, 2023 in doctors, fraud, hospitals, imprisonment, news, psychiatrists, sentencing by sally

‘A bogus psychiatrist who practised in the NHS for 22 years with a fake degree has been jailed, as a judge criticised medical authorities for an “abject failure of scrutiny”.’

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The Guardian, 28th February 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tighter regulation of psychologists in family law cases up to MPs, says senior judge – The Guardian

Posted February 27th, 2023 in expert witnesses, families, family courts, judges, news, psychiatrists by sally

‘England’s most senior family court judge has advised there is a “need for rigour” and “clarity” when instructing psychologists to give expert evidence – but has stopped short of saying the family courts should never appoint those who are “unregulated”.’

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The Guardian, 26th February 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Senior judge issues guidance on instruction of un-regulated psychologists in Family Court – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 24th, 2023 in expert witnesses, families, family courts, judges, news, psychiatrists by sally

‘The President of the Family Division has issued guidance on the instruction of un-regulated psychologists as experts in the Family Court.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 23rd February 2023

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Fake doctor who worked in NHS for 20 years found guilty of fraud – The Guardian

Posted February 17th, 2023 in doctors, forgery, fraud, hospitals, news, psychiatrists by tracey

‘A fraudulent doctor who worked in the NHS for 20 years has been convicted of a “deliberate and wicked deception” after forging a medical degree certificate and practising as a psychiatrist without the necessary qualifications.’

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The Guardian, 15th February 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

Burnley fake psychiatrist committed wicked deception, judge says – BBC News

Posted February 16th, 2023 in forgery, fraud, news, psychiatrists by sally

‘A woman who faked a medical degree certificate to work as a psychiatrist for more than two decades committed a “wicked deception”, a judge has said.’

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BBC News, 15th February 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Andrew Barlow: Serial rapist due to be released despite appeal – BBC News

Posted February 3rd, 2023 in appeals, expert witnesses, news, parole, psychiatrists, rape, sexual offences by michael

‘A man who was jailed for 13 rapes is due to be released despite an appeal from the justice secretary.’

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BBC News, 3rd February 2023

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Why are there so few registered psychologists working as expert witnesses in private law proceedings – Family Law Week

Posted January 20th, 2023 in expert witnesses, families, family courts, mental health, news, psychiatrists by tracey

‘Dr Mark Hardiman, Chartered Psychologist based in The Psychology Clinic of East Anglia. Alongside his work in public law, in recent years he has developed a special interest and practice relating to high conflict post separation parenting and private law psychological assessment.’

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Family Law Week, 18th January 2023

Source: www.familylawweek.co.uk

Fraudster posed as doctor in UK for 19 years, court hears – The Guardian

Posted January 11th, 2023 in doctors, forgery, fraud, news, psychiatrists by sally

‘A “most accomplished fraudster” was paid between £1m and £1.3m by the NHS during the nearly two decades she posed as a qualified doctor after forging a degree certificate, a court has heard.’

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The Guardian, 10th January 2023

Source: www.theguardian.com

UK woman whose children were removed against their wishes loses appeal – The Guardian

Posted December 8th, 2022 in appeals, children, custody, expert witnesses, family courts, news, psychiatrists by sally

‘A mother whose children were removed from her care against their wishes after an unregulated psychologist said she had “alienated” them from their father has lost a high court appeal to have her case reopened.’

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The Guardian, 7th December 2022

Source: www.theguardian.com

Family Justice Council makes recommendations on avoiding conflicts of interest using psychologist expert witnesses in cases of alleged alienation – Local Government Lawyer

‘Interim guidance from the Family Justice Council (FJC), published last month, has highlighted how to avoid conflicts of interest when using psychologist expert witnesses in family court cases involving allegations of alienating behaviours.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 20th June 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court of Appeal quashes homelessness “vulnerability” decision – Doughty Street Chambers

Posted October 29th, 2019 in appeals, expert witnesses, homelessness, housing, news, psychiatrists by sally

‘The Court of Appeal has given further guidance on the vexed meaning of vulnerability for the purposes of the homelessness provisions in the Housing Act 1996, Part 7, and the handling of medical evidence.’

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Doughty Street Chambers, 22nd October 2019

Source: www.doughtystreet.co.uk

Fake NHS psychiatrist ‘medicated at least 160 patients’ – The Independent

Posted July 25th, 2019 in fraud, freedom of information, news, psychiatrists, theft, vetting by tracey

‘GMC apologises for “inadequate” checks after bogus doctor practised for 22 years.’

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The Independent, 24th July 2019

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Child rapist who fooled judge into thinking he was disabled is jailed – The Guardian

‘A child rapist who almost escaped punishment after he tricked a judge and two psychiatrists into thinking he was severely disabled has been jailed for more than 26 years.’

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The Guardian, 10th April 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Fake psychiatrist case puts thousands of doctors under scrutiny – The Guardian

Posted November 19th, 2018 in doctors, fraud, licensing, news, psychiatrists by sally

‘The records of up to 3,000 doctors are being reviewed after it emerged that a woman worked as a NHS consultant psychiatrist for 22 years with fake qualifications before she was convicted of trying to defraud a patient.’

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The Guardian, 19th November 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Ep. 39: Employment/Disciplinary injunction success for psychiatrist – 1 COR

Posted July 2nd, 2018 in disciplinary procedures, injunctions, news, psychiatrists by sally

‘Richard Booth joins Emma-Louise Fenelon to discuss a successful employment injunction to prevent a gross misconduct disciplinary hearing.’

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Law Pod UK, 2nd July 2018

Source: audioboom.com

The risks to litigants in person when cross-examining psychologist expert witnesses – Family Law

Posted June 26th, 2018 in cross-examination, expert witnesses, news, psychiatrists by sally

‘Many psychologist expert witnesses, from professional bodies (British Psychological Society) to more informal expert witness networks, have raised concerns about the impact of this practice. The concerns fall into three main areas: the potential harm of conducting such a cross-examination to the litigants in person (LiPs) in question; potential breaches of ethical conduct for the psychologist expert; and the potential impact on the quality of the evidence. This paper hopes to set out these issues and invites discussion as to potential guidance and remedy.’

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Family Law, 28th June 2018

Source: www.familylaw.co.uk

Damning report finds ‘serious failings’ in NHS mental health services – The Guardian

Posted March 21st, 2018 in mental health, news, ombudsmen, psychiatrists, reports by tracey

‘Vulnerable mental health patients are suffering serious harm, and in some cases dying, because of “serious failings” in their treatment, the NHS ombudsman has warned. Mistakes such as failing to diagnose or treat patients properly and discharging them from hospital too soon can have “catastrophic consequences”, said Rob Behrens.’

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The Guardian, 21st March 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com