I am the Deputy Programme Director for the UEA Clinical Psychology Doctorate programme (ClinPsyD), within the Department of Clincial Psychology and Psychological Therapies in Norwich Medical School. 

I am also the Professionalism Lead for the Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychological therapies. 

I am proud to be a Clinical Psychologist and to have the opportunity to support the training and development of tomorrow's workforce through my role at UEA. I am passionate that we create a workforce which is ready to serve the NHS, with Clinical Psychologists who have the potential to become expert clinicians and effect change in the way we deliver services to people with mental health problems. 

I firmly believe that Clinical Psychology research, and the resultant clinical practice that derives from this research, has huge untapped potential to make our services more effective, and to help us understand complex clinical problems more meaningfully. 

I am keen to promote the development of clinicians who are ready to work in the NHS so who approach training with the right values. We need clinicians who are not afraid to 'speak up' and be able to prioritse the needs of the often vulnerable individuals we work with. We need clinicians who are driven by the desire to understand complex problems better, and who prioritise evidence over ideology. We need clinicians who will work effectively with other professionals, and seek to understandand and improve wider systems that influence healthcare delivery. 

I am delighted to be supported by such an able and fantastic staff team in our programme and wider department. I am, too, constantly inspired and proud of the excellent work of our trainees. I hope that, together, we can do 'our bit' for developing and promoting the delivery of effective and meaningful mental health-care in East Anglia. 

Prior to joining UEA in September 2016, Peter was Head of Secure Services Inpatient Psychology, and Consultant Clinical Psychologist, at South Essex Partnership NHS Trust. This encompassed a service management role for psychology provision in all secure services within the trust, including a large low/medium secure unit in South Essex and two low secure units in Luton and Bedfordshire. As a Clinician working within this service, Peter gained significant experience in the assessment and treatment of offenders with mental health problems, including experience in using CBT for Psychosis on an individual basis within this population. 

Since being at UEA, Peter has taken a range of leadership and mangement roles and retains significant responsibility for the operational management of the ClinPsyD programme. Presently (since October 2023) Peter is also working in the role of Admissions Director. 

Peter is also leading the delivery of our Mental Health Law CPD programme, offered in partnership with the NHS, to support the development of multiprofessional Approved Clinicians within local and regional services. 

Expert Witness Work

Peter has experience in providing reports and giving evidence in courts in both criminal and civil cases. In particular Peter has experience in completing assessments of risk for clients with complex histories of mental health difficulty and offending behaviours. Particular interests include assessments of clinical presentations of psychosis and personality disorder, as well as assessments of response style and factitious presentations (e.g. malingering). Peter has undergone specialist training in the application of a number of different clinical measures (including the International Personality Disorder Examination (IPDE), Psychopathy Checklist-Revised (PCL-R)), as well as structured assessments of risk (e.g. the HCR-20 for general violence and RSVP for sexual violence). Assessments for courts include assessments on effective participation within trial proceedings, clinical assessment and analysis of offending to contribute to understanding of mens rea, assessment of risk, and detailed clinical assessment to understand clinical vulnerabilities relevant in the commissioning of the offence, at interview, or in trial. 

Peter has had experience in providing evidence in a range of court settings including Crown Courts, Magistrates Courts, Family Courts, the Coroner's court, and Mental Health Tribunals. Peter has also acted as an independent psychologist in assessment of clients for the Parole Board and given evidence in this context.

Safeguarding Adult Reviews

Since 2018, Peter has acted as the Independent Author for four Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs) for Essex, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire Safeguarding Adult Boards. These reviews considered clients where, prior to death, there had been a wide range of safeguarding concerns relating to issues including complex mental health problems, multi-agency working, homelessness and institutional practice. 

Availability 

Please contact Peter directly for current availability to act in the above matters. Any such work would be formally commissioned through UEA Consulting Partners. 

Please note that Peter keeps a full university diary and it is unlikely he will have availability in any case for any work that requires a rapid turnaround. 

Psychosis (particularly within a forensic context)

Personality disorder especially narcissism and formulation-driven approaches to assessment

Approaches to forensic assessment

Risk assessment of offending and violence

Safeguarding in complex mental health

Mental Capacity Act and Assessment

Mental Health Law

BA Experimental Psychology - Oxford University - 2002-2005 (First Class)

DClinPsy - Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, King's College London - 2006-2009

LLM - Northumbria University - Mental Health Law, Distinction - 2018

SFHEA - Senior Fellowship, Higher Education Academy