Medico-Legal Experience

Dr Sandford has over 20 years of experience in the psychiatric assessment of adults and adolescents for the Criminal, Family and Civil Courts, providing approximately 60 reports per year.

Experience within the criminal justice system: Dr Sandford has produced over 600 reports for the Crown, High and Appeal Courts involving fitness to plead, diminished responsibility, loss of control, provocation, intent, risk assessment (sexual, violence and arson) and indeterminate sentencing. He has provided reports for over 230 homicide cases. Dr Sandford given oral evidence in Crown Court on numerous occasions, including many homicide trials.

Experience within the Family Court: Dr Sandford produced over 250 psychiatric reports regarding mental health and fitness to parent, including assessing risks related to substance misuse, sexual offending, mental illness, learning disability, personality disorder and domestic violence.  He has given expert evidence in the Family Court on numerous occasions in both public and private law matters.

Experience in the Civil Courts: Dr Sandford has produced a significant number of reports in civil cases, including litigation, capacity to manage affairs, and civil litigation related to mental disorder, stress, depression, anxiety disorders and PTSD.

Qualifications:

    • Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (Leicester), June 1990

      Diploma in Child Health (Royal College of Physicians), Jan 1992

      Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK), July 1996

      Master of Science (by research) (Bristol), Oct 2000

      Fellowship of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK), February 2010

Clinical Experience

During his 21 years as a Consultant Psychiatrist, Dr Sandford has worked with patients with a variety of psychiatric disorders, including: schizophrenia, mood disorders, learning disability, personality disorder, autistic spectrum disorder, substance abuse and brain injury.   He regularly undertake assessments with detailed treatment planning and risk management.

Dr Sandford's clinical experience has centred on patients who have an offending history or have severe or complex mental health needs. He regularly manages patients in psychiatric intensive care, secure units and open wards, as well as overseeing those moving to independent living in the community. He is used to working in close liaison with the NHS, independent sector, voluntary sector, probation, social services, police and CPS.

He has experience of working with patients with a variety of offending behaviours including homicide, rape, arson and child sexual offending.

Dr Sandford regularly manages patients on restriction orders, hybrid orders, life sentence prisoners and those detained under fitness to plead legislation. He has extensive experience of mental health legislation and Mental Health Review Tribunals.

Dr Sandford has extensive experience of the CPA process, Mental Health Review Tribunals, MAPPA, POVA and managing complex patients with a variety of needs, including challenging and antisocial behaviour.

He is experienced in the routine use of various structured clinical and risk assessment tools including HoNOS, HCR-20, SVR, START, and Risk Matrix 2000.

Current Consultant Employment

Dr Sandford is employed as a Consultant Forensic and General Adult Psychiatrist at Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust, based at the Stonebow Unit in Hereford. He is also an Associate Medical Director for Medical and Dental Education across the two counties. His current clinical responsibilities are acute inpatient care, psychiatric input into the Crisis and Home Treatment Team, and providing forensic psychiatric expertise to cases within Herefordshire. Dr Sandford has been involved at the new Three Counties Medical School based at the University of Worcester.   

Registration:

  • Fully registered with the GMC (number 3452899)
  • GMC Registered specialist in Forensic Psychiatry and General Adult Psychiatry.
  • Approved under Section 12 of the Mental Health Act.
  • Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
  • Member of the British Association for Psychopharmacology.
  • Medical Protection Society.  
  • Dr Sandford is in good standing with Continued Professional Development of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
  • Dr Sandford undertakes regular educational and audit activities in clinical and medico-legal areas.

Training:

    Undergraduate medical education at the University of Leicester. Postgraduate training in Paediatrics at the University of Wales Hospital, Cardiff. Postgraduate training in Psychiatry in Bristol, Exeter and Australia. Following basic specialist training Dr Sandford worked as Clinical Research Fellow in the Psychopharmacology Unit, Bristol University before undertaking Higher training.

    Higher specialist training in Forensic Psychiatry and General Adult Psychiatry in Bristol and Exeter. This included training in mental illness, personality disorder, drug and alcohol disorders, forensic learning disability, forensic adolescent psychiatry, and autistic spectrum disorder, in both outpatient and inpatient settings.

Research and Publications:

    Over fifteen published articles, letters or chapters in a number of medical and psychiatric journals. 

    Areas of publication include anxiety disorders, legal and ethical aspects of practice, psychopharmacology and clinical governance.


    A list of publications can be provided on request.

Previous employment:

Prior to his current position, Dr Sandford was employed as a Consultant Forensic and General Adult Psychiatrist with Partnerships in Care. He started working for PiC in 2001 and during his 15 years with the company, he held a variety of clinical and managerial roles:

Llanarth Court Hospital (2001 – 2015)

LCH is a psychiatric hospital specialising in the assessment,
treatment and rehabilitation of mentally disordered offenders. The hospital provides facilities for different patient groups across security levels. The hospital admits men and women with a variety of short and long-term needs including mental illness, learning disability, substance misuse, personality disorder and brain injury.   For 14 years he led 5 different multidisciplinary teams caring for patients with mental illness, learning disability and personality disorder on medium secure, low secure and open wards. From 2012 -2013 Dr Sandford specialised in neurodevelopmental psychiatry (intellectual disability, ADHD and autism).

HMP/YOI Ashfield (2002 – 2013)

Ashfield was a juvenile offenders’ institution for male remand and sentenced offenders between the ages of fifteen and eighteen. Dr Sandford worked for 11 years as a visiting consultant psychiatrist providing a programme of assessment, treatment and advice for young offenders with a variety of psychiatric problems including psychosis, other mental illness, learning disability, PTSD, ADHD, substance abuse and conduct disorder.

Abbey House (2008 – 2016)

This was a 25-bed community based psychiatric rehabilitation and recovery unit offering treatment and rehabilitation to patients with complex mental health needs and/or co-morbidity. It treated both detained and voluntary patients using a multidisciplinary recovery based model. It aimed to equip patients with the necessary personal skills to move out of inpatient care and reintegrate into the community. A mixture of locked and open beds, it maintained close links with local community organisations and NHS partners. Dr Sandford was the clinical lead for over five years and led a multidisciplinary team treating patients with a variety of mental disorders.

Copse Unit (2015 – 2016)

Dr Sandford was the clinical lead.at this 24-bed community based psychiatric rehabilitation and recovery unit offering treatment and rehabilitation to male and female patients with complex mental health needs and/or co-morbidity. Four 6-bedded wards offered treatment to both detained and voluntary patients using a multidisciplinary model. Many of the female patients suffered from personality disorder and had a history of self-harm. The unit aimed to support patients to develop the necessary personal skills to move out of inpatient care and reintegrate into the community.

Wellington Project (2015 - 2016)

Dr Sandford was the clinical lead for the development of a new 75 bed mixed medium and low secure psychiatric unit being built in Wellington, Somerset. Wellington will specialise in the assessment, treatment and rehabilitation of mentally disordered offenders across security levels and will work in close partnership with NHS partners.