Adult General Psychiatrist
Expert Witness Services
The foundation of our expert panel. Adult general psychiatrists assess the full spectrum of mental health conditions in adults aged 18-65, providing expert evidence across personal injury, employment, clinical negligence, and civil proceedings.
What Is an Adult General Psychiatrist?
An Adult General Psychiatrist (also known as a General Adult Psychiatrist or Consultant Psychiatrist in General Adult Psychiatry) is a medical doctor who has completed specialist training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions affecting adults.
In the medico-legal context, adult general psychiatrists are the most frequently instructed psychiatric expert witnesses. They assess a broad range of conditions including:
Qualifications & Registration
When to Instruct an Adult General Psychiatrist
Adult general psychiatrists are appropriate for the majority of medico-legal psychiatric assessments involving adults. Instruct this expert type when you need:
Diagnosis
Establishing whether a psychiatric condition is present and which diagnostic criteria are met (DSM-5/ICD-11)
Causation
Determining whether an index event caused or contributed to the psychiatric condition
Prognosis
Assessing likely duration, recovery prospects, and outcome with/without treatment
Functional Impact
Evaluating impact on work, relationships, daily activities, and quality of life
Treatment
Recommending appropriate treatment and estimating costs for damages calculations
Capacity
Assessing mental capacity for litigation, treatment decisions, or other specific decisions
Legal Areas Covered
Adult general psychiatrists provide expert evidence across the following legal areas:
Personal Injury
PTSD, depression, anxiety, adjustment disorder following RTA, accident, assault
Employment Tribunal
Workplace stress, harassment, discrimination, unfair dismissal, fitness to work
Clinical Negligence
Psychiatric injury from medical error, misdiagnosis, treatment failures
Family & Child
Parental mental health assessment, impact on parenting capacity
Civil Litigation
Psychiatric injury claims, professional negligence, insurance disputes
Court of Protection
Mental capacity assessments (COP3), best interests, litigation capacity
Benefits Appeals
PIP assessments, ESA appeals, work capability evaluation
Housing & Public Law
Mental health in housing assessments, community care
Insurance Claims
Income protection, critical illness, travel insurance psychiatric claims
Conditions Assessed
Mood Disorders
- Major Depressive Disorder
- Bipolar Affective Disorder
- Persistent Depressive Disorder
- Postnatal Depression
- Seasonal Affective Disorder
Anxiety Disorders
- Generalised Anxiety (GAD)
- Panic Disorder
- Social Anxiety
- Specific Phobias
- Agoraphobia
Trauma & Stress
- PTSD
- Acute Stress Disorder
- Adjustment Disorder
- Prolonged Grief Disorder
Personality Disorders
- Borderline/EUPD
- Narcissistic
- Antisocial
- Other personality pathology
Psychotic Disorders
- Schizophrenia
- Schizoaffective Disorder
- Delusional Disorder
- Brief Psychotic Episode
Other Conditions
- OCD & Related Disorders
- Somatic Symptom Disorders
- Sleep Disorders
- Eating Disorders (adult)
- Substance-related
Our Assessment Process
Instruction Received
Submit your instruction with case details
Expert Matched
We identify the most suitable adult psychiatrist
CV & Quote Sent
Expert CV and fee estimate within 1 hour
Assessment Scheduled
Face-to-face or video appointment arranged
Clinical Assessment
Comprehensive psychiatric interview
Report Delivered
CPR Part 35 compliant report delivered
What’s Included in the Expert Report
Report Contents
- Instructions and documents reviewed
- Relevant background history
- Account of index event(s)
- Psychiatric history
- Mental state examination findings
- Psychometric test results (where used)
- Diagnosis with DSM-5/ICD-11 criteria
- Opinion on causation
- Severity and functional impact assessment
- Prognosis with and without treatment
- Treatment recommendations with costs
- Statement of truth and declaration
Quality Standards
Why Instruct Our Adult General Psychiatrists?
500+ Adult Psychiatrists
The UK’s largest panel of adult general psychiatrists available nationwide
CVs in 1 Hour
Rapid response with expert CVs and fee quotes
Urgent Reports Available
1-4 day turnaround for court deadlines
Nationwide Coverage
Experts located across the UK, plus remote video assessments
Section 12 Approved
Majority of our adult psychiatrists hold Section 12 approval
Court Experienced
Experts experienced in oral evidence, joint statements, and cross-examination
Fees & Funding Options
Private / Insurance
- Competitive fixed fees
- Fee estimate provided upfront
- Deferred payment available
- Direct billing to insurers
Legal Aid (LAA)
- LAA rates accepted
- Prior authority applications supported
- Experienced in publicly funded cases
Court / CPS Funded
- Crown Court rates
- CPS panel experience
- Court-appointed instructions
Frequently Asked Questions
Adult general psychiatrists specialise in diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions in adults across general settings. Forensic psychiatrists specialise in the interface between mental health and the criminal justice system, including risk assessment, criminal responsibility, and secure hospital settings. For criminal cases, forensic psychiatrists are usually preferred; for civil matters (personal injury, employment, clinical negligence), adult general psychiatrists are typically appropriate.
Yes. PTSD assessment is one of the most common instructions for adult general psychiatrists, particularly in personal injury and employment cases. They use validated tools including the CAPS-5 (Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale) to diagnose PTSD and assess severity.
Adult general psychiatrists typically assess individuals aged 18-65. For children and adolescents (under 18), instruct a child & adolescent psychiatrist. For older adults (65+), an old age psychiatrist may be more appropriate, particularly where cognitive decline or dementia is a consideration.
We provide expert CVs and fee estimates within 1 hour of instruction. Standard appointments are typically available within 2-4 weeks. Urgent appointments can be arranged within days where court deadlines require.
Yes. Remote video assessments are available and widely accepted by courts and tribunals. Video assessment is suitable for most conditions. The expert will advise if face-to-face assessment is clinically preferable for a particular case.
Key qualifications include: GMC registration with licence to practise, MRCPsych (membership of Royal College of Psychiatrists), CCT in General Adult Psychiatry, and ideally Section 12 approval. All experts on our panel meet these standards and have specific medico-legal training and experience.
Instruct an Adult General Psychiatrist Today
CVs and quotes in 1 hour. Urgent reports in 1-4 days. The UK’s largest panel of Section 12 approved consultant psychiatrists.
