'I am privileged to deliver training with an Expert by Experience who happens to be my son'

This blog post by Dr Sarah Bernard is part of the Thrive in Psychiatry campaign.

I have been a consultant psychiatrist in child and adolescent intellectual disability for 31 years.

Over the course of my career, I have been a “hands on” consultant, assessing/managing young people with intellectual disability and behavioural/mental health comorbidities, teaching and training, and taking on a wide variety of professional responsibilities.

Currently these include being Clinical Director for the South London Partnership CAMHS Provider Collaborative, another stimulating, and at times challenging, responsibility working at the interface between commissioners and providers for tier 3.5/4 services which include CAMHS inpatient services and services offering alternatives to admission.

I have been the Trust named doctor for child safeguarding for ten years. Previously I have had senior roles in education, research and management.

My work is varied – my week can include a new assessment of a child with severe self-injury, school observations, feedback to families, meeting with social care about a mental capacity act assessment, reviewing medication, escalating a concern about an admission, joining complex safeguarding case reviews, teaching resident doctors, supervision……and so much more.

I am privileged to deliver training on autism with an Expert by Experience who also happens to be my son.

I have been involved with many third sector organisations: the Challenging behaviour Foundation, MENCAP, Young Minds, The Prader Willi Association to name a few.

What does this mean in practice?

Well, certainly variety and an insight into the world of families who have children with disabilities, being part of shaping services, contributing to high standards in child mental health and ensuring that the needs of disabled children are recognised.

My career has shaped my identity, this only possible with the support of my late husband and parents, and the ongoing support of my sons and my close friends, colleagues and mentors.

Why do I love my job?

My interest is and always has been disability.

My career has spanned a mix of psychiatry, paediatrics, clinical genetics, medical ethics, medical management, medical education and advocating for people with disabilities.

The biggest achievement in my career

So many achievements come to mind but being a consultant psychiatrist in the same service for 31 years stands out.

When I started in this speciality there were four ID CAMHS consultants nationally.

Now there are too many to count with respected and evidence-based services established.

This would not have been possible without the insight from the many patients and families seen by these services.

Other notable achievements include working with my son to deliver training in autism and mental health comorbidities.

With the Trust safeguarding team, we have got safeguarding on the map for consultant psychiatrists in SLaM.

Being part of clinically led commissioning is another achievement.

How could the College or other organisations help you thrive even more?

The College must ensure that our speciality is respected and valued.

A well-known Professor of Psychiatry once said to me “why disability?” I hope they would now agree that I, and others working in this speciality, have made a positive contribution to psychiatry.

They should also think about utilising consultants who are approaching retirement. Don’t lose us as we still have a valuable contribution to make.

What are you looking forward to doing next?

I am in my mid 60’s. The time has come to think about how I will remain involved with people with intellectual disability when I retire.

Intellectual Disability psychiatry has been such a massive part of my life.

The Expert by Experience work has taken off with a paper having been accepted for presentation at the RCPsych Medical education conference next year.

Another exciting development – life is never dull.

Dr Sarah Bernard, Consultant in Child and Adolescent Intellectual Disability..