Do you provide reports compliant with the Istanbul Protocol?

Yes. Where torture is alleged we instruct a psychiatrist with formal Istanbul Protocol training and the report applies the five-point consistency framework explicitly.

Can assessments be conducted with an interpreter?

Yes. We arrange professional interpreters in the relevant language and dialect, document the interpretation arrangements, and address the impact of interpretation on the assessment in the report.

How quickly can a report be delivered?

Standard turnaround is 1–2 weeks from receipt of the bundle and access to the assessee. Urgent reports can be delivered in 2–5 working days where a Crown Court trial date, tribunal listing or interim hearing requires it. We will tell you on day one whether the deadline is realistic.

How are fees calculated?

We agree a fixed fee for the report and any addendum, joint statement work and CMC/court attendance up front. Fees reflect the complexity, the volume of records and the urgency. We will provide a written quote that supports a Legal Aid prior authority application where required.

Can the expert be instructed as a Single Joint Expert?

Yes. The majority of our consultants accept SJE instructions and are experienced in dealing with joint letters of instruction, Part 35 questions from both sides, and joint reports with experts of like discipline.

Is in-person assessment essential?

Most assessments can be conducted by secure video, which keeps costs and timescales down and avoids travel. In-person assessment is arranged where the case calls for it, for example where capacity, malingering, or a child or learning-disabled assessee is involved, and across all the UK regions we cover.

What happens if the report is challenged at court?

The instructed expert remains responsible for the case end-to-end, including responding to Part 35 questions, attending the joint experts' discussion, signing the joint statement, and giving live evidence. There is no handover to a different expert at trial.

Case type

Immigration & Asylum

Psychiatric reports in immigration and asylum cases address whether the claimant has a psychiatric disorder consistent with their account of trauma, the impact of removal or detention on their mental health, and the risk of suicide or deterioration on return.

Request an Expert

Use this category when…

You need to map a court order or letter from counsel to the right report
You're confirming whether a psychiatric expert (rather than a psychologist) is the right discipline
You want a fixed quote and a realistic deadline before instructing

What to send with your enquiry

A short summary plus the items below is enough for us to match an expert and confirm the deadline — you don't need the full bundle to get a quote.

Short case summary and the questions you want answered
Hearing or listing date and jurisdiction
GP and psychiatric records (full set where available)
Witness statements, schedules of loss or threshold documents
Any prior expert reports
Court order granting permission to instruct (family / Court of Protection)

Overview

Psychiatric reports in immigration and asylum work serve three distinct purposes: corroborating an account of past trauma, demonstrating vulnerability that engages procedural protections, and addressing the psychiatric risk on detention or removal. Each purpose calls for a different emphasis and the report must make clear which questions it answers.

Reports follow the structure required by the Tribunal and, where torture is alleged, the Istanbul Protocol. We instruct consultants experienced with HJ (Iran), AM (Zimbabwe), and the practical realities of evidence at Hatton Cross, Taylor House and the regional hearing centres.

Legal framework

Reports are prepared with reference to the Practice Direction for the First-tier Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum) and the Istanbul Protocol where torture is alleged.

Psychiatric issues addressed

PTSD and complex trauma consistent with the claimant's account
Depression and suicidal ideation
Risk of deterioration on detention or removal
Capacity to give evidence and vulnerability adjustments
Trafficking-related psychiatric presentations

Questions you can put to the expert

Drop any of these straight into your letter of instruction.

Does the claimant have a recognised psychiatric disorder?
Is the presentation consistent with the trauma described?
What is the likely impact of detention or removal on mental health?
Is there a real risk of suicide or significant deterioration on return?

Immigration & asylum: areas we cover

Detention vulnerability

Reports for Adults at Risk in Immigration Detention assessments identify Level 2 or Level 3 evidence of vulnerability, the impact of continued detention, and any necessary safeguards.

PTSD and complex trauma

Reports address whether the claimant has PTSD or complex PTSD, whether the presentation is consistent with the trauma described, and the standard differential including malingering. We follow the Istanbul Protocol's five-point consistency framework where torture is alleged.

Risk on return

Reports on risk of suicide or significant deterioration on return apply the J v SSHD framework, addressing both the subjective fear and the objective risk on the basis of the medical evidence.

Trafficking and modern slavery

NRM and conclusive grounds reports document psychiatric sequelae of trafficking and exploitation, supporting both the trafficking decision and any subsequent asylum or human rights claim.

What's in the report

Part 35 / FPR Part 25 / CrimPR statement of compliance, as applicable
Expert's CV and statement of independence
Detailed list of materials considered (records, statements, scans, prior reports)
Full history, mental state examination and collateral information
Diagnostic formulation referenced to ICD-11 / DSM-5-TR
Reasoned opinion on causation, apportionment, prognosis and treatment
Indicative treatment costings where requested
Statement of truth signed in the prescribed form

How we help

Same-day shortlist of suitable consultants once we receive a brief instruction
Choice of male or female assessor, and of sub-specialty, on every instruction
Fixed fees agreed up front; Legal Aid prior authority figures supported
Standard turnaround 1–2 weeks; urgent reports inside 5 working days where the diary allows
Joint reports, addendum reports, Part 35 questions and CMC attendance handled by the same expert
Remote (secure video) or in-person assessment across the UK

Frequently asked questions

Recommended services

Adult psychiatry Child psychiatry Female psychiatry Male psychiatry

Need a psychiatric expert witness?

Tell us about your case and we'll match you to the right consultant, usually within 24 hours.

Request an Expert