DR TOM CARNWATH
Experience
Legal experience
Dr. Carnwath has been a psychiatric expert witness for over twenty years. Currently he prepares about 150 medical reports a year, particularly in the fields of medical negligence and personal injury, and for the Criminal and Family Courts. He is instructed by both Claimant and Defence solicitors. He is also an Assessor for the General Medical and General Dental Councils, and provides frequent reports in this context. He is frequently instructed also by Medical Protection organisations, and has been involved in several high-profile cases. He attends Court on average between three times a year.
He has prepared over a hundred reports concerning adult survivors of childhood abuse, particularly within the Care Home system, both in Ireland and England, and has given evidence in Court in some well-publicised cases.
He has reported in a number of cases where drug or alcohol using clients have suffered serious injury, and the key issue has been their life prospects had they not suffered injury.
He is frequently instructed in claims concerning suicide.
He is Medical Director of Atkinson Lewis Ltd,
a company which supplies specialist services to the Family Courts, particularly medico-legal reports, IT services and hair/blood testing. He therefore has expertise in family court issues, and in the interpretation of biochemical tests for substance misuse.
He has attended numerous courses related to being an Expert Witness.
Employment history
Locum P/T Consultant, various posts, 2012 – present day
Honorary Senior Lecturer, Imperial College, London 2003 to 2009
Consultant Psychiatrist, Tees, Esk &Wear NHS Trust 2002 to 2012.
Visiting Consultant, HMP Durham 2002 to 2009.
Consultant Psychiatrist, Trafford NHS Trust 1987 to 2002
Honorary Lecturer, Manchester Metropolitan University 1997 to present.
Consultant Psychiatrist, Tone Vale Hospital, Taunton 1984 to 1987
Research Fellow, Manchester University 1983 to 1984
Senior Registrar in Psychiatry, Manchester 1981 to 1983
Registrar in Psychiatry, Barrow Hospital, Bristol 1979 to 1981
General Practitioner Vocational Training Course, Bristol 1977 to 1979
SHO in Psychiatry, Glenside Hospital, Bristol 1975 to 1977
Pre-registration house jobs, U.C.H., London 1974 to 1975
Books
Books and reports he has written, or to which he has contributed, include the following:
• Topics in Liaison Psychiatry (in press) Royal College of Psychiatrists, London
• Responding to Drug Misuse ed. MacGregor S. (2010) London: Routledge
• Mental Health and Social Inclusion (2009) Royal College of Psychiatrists, London
• Management Identification and Treatment of Alcohol Dependency ed. Martin C (2008) Keswick: M&K Update
• Prison Psychiatry (2007) Royal College of Psychiatrists, London
• Good Practice Guidance on Confidentiality (2005) Royal College of Psychiatrists, London
• Guidance for the Use of Methadone for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence in Primary Care (2005) Royal College of General Practitioners, London
• Care of Drug Users in General Practice ed. Beaumont B (2004) London: Radcliffe Medical Press
• Guidance for working with cocaine and crack users in primary care (2004) Royal College of General Practitioners, London
• The Heroin Century Carnwath T & Smith I (2002) Routledge, London
• Community Care (2001) Royal College of Psychiatrists
• Community Care: initial training and beyond ed. Skidmore D (1997) London: Edward Arnold
• Amphetamine Misuse & Treatment : Report for the Department of Health (1995) Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester.
• Behaviour Therapy in Primary Care Carnwath.T. & Miller D (1986) Academic Press, London.
He has also written over forty scientific papers in the fields of general psychiatry and addiction. For details, please consult his full CV.
