Forensic Psychiatry

Find a Forensic Psychiatrist You Can Trust at MedicoLegal Psychiatry

The legal system must ensure that justice is delivered while providing suitable protection to citizens who are not fit to stand trial. When it comes to a legal matter that is potentially influenced by a person’s mental health, you may need to enlist the services of a forensic psychiatrist. 

MedicoLegal Psychiatry offers a range of unique services designed to give you the answers that you need to make sound, well-informed decisions. 

Benefits of a Medicolegal Psychiatrist in Court

Since the establishment of this field of study, psychiatry has been an integral part of daily life. Over time, it has earned a recurring and critical role in the criminal justice field. There are several essential benefits of forensic psychiatry within the courts, including ensuring objectivity and supporting fairness:

• An objective eye. Certain biases can be hard to escape inside the courtroom when charging an individual with a crime. This bias often occurs with subjectivism among the authorities in a courtroom. A forensic psychiatrist can offer a more objective view of the case by conducting assessments and presenting a professional opinion with no bias or subjectivism. 
• Justice. The law system is designed to protect individuals who are not mentally healthy enough to stand trial or present themselves in court. Forensic psychiatrists can perform assessments to ensure that the accused is fit to stand trial. This process not only protects the individual but also allows them to experience a more just and fair legal system. 
• A better legal system. Every justice system is flawed in some ways. Unfortunately, it can be hard for some individuals to get a fair trial for a variety of reasons—but the presence of a forensic psychiatrist experienced in criminal matters in the courtroom supports the justice system to ensure equitable support for everyone involved. 

What You Should Know About Forensic Psychiatrists in Sydney

When you need to enlist the services of a medicolegal psychiatrist in Sydney, you may feel overwhelmed by your options or the amount of new information that you need to process to make sound decisions regarding your legal situation. Here is some basic information about forensic psychiatrists to get you started:

• Forensic psychiatry is a branch of medicine that focuses on the interface of mental health and the law. It may include testimony or consultation across a range of legal matters as well as clinical work with both victims and perpetrators. 
• Forensic psychiatrists are not the same as forensic psychologists. Psychiatrists are physicians who understand, diagnose, and treat a wide range of mental disorders. Forensic psychiatrists pursue additional training related to the interface of mental illness and the law. Psychologists are mental health professionals in their own right with specific expertise. They are not medically qualified and cannot express an expert opinion on medical matters or present an expert opinion about medication. 
• Forensic psychiatrists are critical to the legal process. When the legal matter at hand involves issues outside of the realm of general knowledge, solicitors and judges often seek consultation from a wide variety of professionals, including those working in specific medical fields. These professionals are usually sought to ensure that judges and juries receive the best possible information, although there are multiple other situations in which someone might request or require consultation with a forensic psychiatrist. 
• Forensic psychiatrists adhere to strict professional ethics. These physicians must conform to the general ethics of medicine, expert witness codes or conduct as well as any requirements of state licensing agencies. All psychiatrists belong to a professional organisation with its own formal code of ethics. Forensic psychiatrists who stray from their ethics (by acting dishonestly, for example) face harsh consequences, up to and including expulsion from their organisations and the loss of their professional license and certifications. 

What Sets Us Apart Regarding Forensic Psychiatrists?

If you are looking for a forensic psychiatrist in Sydney, MedicoLegal Psychiatry can help. Here are a few of the factors that set us apart in providing a consultant forensic psychiatrist:

• We handpick each member of our team. We are extremely picky about who can join our firm, choosing only psychiatrists with a forensic background as well as experience in drug and alcohol related health issues and testifying for courts. Most of our psychiatry experts have worked in the New South Wales prison system in clinical roles and as experts with Justice Health. 
• Our psychiatrist are all active in clinical practice. In addition to forensic psychiatry, we understand the relevance of ongoing clinical practice. We provide treatment to patients, managing mental illness across the diagnostic spectrum within the prison population, in private practice, and in public practice. This ensures that our psychiatrists opinions are based on current clinical practice, evidence based medicine and a knowledge of the latest information within psychiatry.
• Exceptional care during and after assessment. We believe that communication and relationships are vital. That’s why we offer high-quality, personalised customer care in a safe and welcoming environment. We value continuing education, ensuring that our medicolegal opinions always stem from the latest in clinical knowledge and research. 

About MedicoLegal Psychiatry

At MedicoLegal Psychiatry, we have over 15 years of experience in the industry, providing our services in cases of medical negligence, personal injury, workers compensation, government, criminal defence, and more. We can and do testify in court for the Crown, Department of Public Prosecution, and private solicitors who request our services. We have worked in rural and regional NSW and VIC and are willing to travel as you require. 

When you work with us, you can be confident that our assessment will stand; we are impartial and say it as we see it in every case. Contact us today to learn more.