Menu
If you have a question or query regarding any of the services we provider please email to get in touch.
Hilton House, Irwell St, Bury BL9 0HZ
Send me an email
CMMedicolegal, PO Box 862
Preston
PR3 9DH
Our service is led by GMC registered Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist, Dr Mischa Mockett. Dr Mockett commenced working as a NHS consultant in 2006 and is currently working at the Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation trust. He is indemnified by the MDU.
© Copyright 2023. CM Medico-Legal. All Rights Reserved.
ASD Assessment
CM Medico-legal conduct a comprehensive, collaborative assessment of young people and adults (all ages) with social communication difficulties. This assessment is in line with the National Institute of Clinical Excellence guidelines on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).
Components of an Assessment
An assessment of social communication is based around a multi-agency format. Information is gathered from different sources before a formulation or diagnosis can be made. In addition to this a variety of standardised tools can be administered to aid the assessment process. We also involve other professionals such as psychologists and nurses and seek their opinions.
Sources of Information
A clinical history will be taken in conjunction with a developmental history. This is taken from the adult, parent, or main care giver. Additional history is obtained from the child’s educational placement or an adult who knows you well. This is in the form of a standardised report and a questionnaire but can require a school observation.
Standardised Assessment Tools
The tools we use include:
-Autism Mental Status Examination- This is an observational assessment conducted
by the examiner.
-Social Responsiveness Scales-These are questionnaires completed by parents, educational worker. In the case of adults both themselves and an adult who knows them well.
-Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule- This is an assessment administered by the examiner and observed by a member of the team.
Completion of the Assessment
On completion of the assessment we will hold a feedback meeting where the clinical findings will be discussed. You will then be provided with a copy of the report, and this can be shared with professionals involved with your child or as an adult.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorders
Dr Mockett is an expert in ADHD assessment and treatment and speaks nationally on the subject. His special interest is in ADHD combined with other neurodevelopmental disorders such as ASD and Intellectual Disability. He has extensive experience in assessing and treating ADHD in girls and women. This assessment is in line with the National Institute of Clinical Excellence guidelines on ADHD.
The assessment is a collaborative approach examining the child or adult’s strengths and difficulties. It includes a full psychiatric history.
Standardised tests involved include:
-ADHD Rating Scale-IV (for under 18s)
-SNAP long and short versions (for under 18s)
-Barkley Adult ADHD Rating Scale-IV
-Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in adults (DIVA)
-Diagnostic Interview for ADHD in adults with Intellectual Disability (DIVA-ID)
Assessment takes place in liaison with the child’s school.
A variety of up-to-date treatment modalities and recommendations are made in a final report and feedback session.
Assessment
Choosing CM Medico-legal means a comprehensive, collaborative assessment. There are multiple types of assessment that vary according to individual need:
Forensic Assessment
Forensic assessment considers risk and the young person’s psychiatric well-being (i.e. the presence of ADHD, ASD, Psychosis, Mood Disorder, Conduct Disorder). Specifically, it considers the risk that an individual poses to their own well being and that of others so that opinion can be given about the relationship between the individual’s mental health and the risk of future offending behaviour. Dr Mockett has significant court room experience.
This type of assessment can influence:
– Fitness to Plead decisions
If a young person has been charged with a crime, however, there are known or potential pre-existing mental health problem(s) a forensic assessment can help to establish whether the young person has capacity to stand trial.
– Sentencing decisions
Forensic assessment might also inform a courts sentencing decision; in some circumstances presence of mental health problems at the time of the offence can be a mitigating factor.
Medical Legal Assessment
This form of assessment can be required during the process of civil litigation including complex clinical negligence. Medico-legal assessments can influence decisions such as the amount of financial compensation that is awarded. Dr Mockett accepts a limited number of complex high value cases. He is an expert in the relationship between trauma for example birth trauma and neurodevelopmental conditions. Dr Mockett is highly experienced in attending court and giving evidence as well as experience in the preparation of joint expert statements. He completes desk top reports for NHS resolution services. Dr Mockett has expertise in the link between psychological distress and trauma in people with Neurodevelopmental conditions such as ASD and Intellectual Disability.