Dr Bernard Horsford: Top Psychologist

Dr Bernard Horsford, PhD, MBA, Chartered Psychologist – Leading Consultant Psychologist & Expert Witness (England, UK)

Dr Bernard Horsford is a top UK consultant psychologist and neuropsychologist, specialising in expert-witness testimony, autism, ADHD and complex neuropsychological assessment.

Professional Summary

Dr Horsford is a Chartered Psychologist, HCPC-registered Practitioner Psychologist and Neuropsychologist (non-SRCN) with four decades of experience delivering high-stakes psychological and neuropsychological assessments. Based in England, he provides medicolegal expert-witness reports in criminal, civil and family courts and Employment Tribunals, specialising in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), traumatic brain injury, personality disorder and mental capacity. He combines academic rigour with commercial insight gained as Chief Executive of Advanced Assessments Ltd, underpinned by structured training, rigorous CPD and supervision by leading clinicians.

Core Specialisms

Expert-witness testimony for High Court, Crown, civil and family courts
Neuropsychological assessment of brain injury & cognitive impairment
Diagnosis of ASD, ADHD and co-occurring neurodivergent conditions
Psychiatric & personality-disorder evaluation (e.g. EUPD, antisocial PD)
Fitness-to-plead, risk & suggestibility assessments
Occupational health, employment disability & discrimination claims
Child psychology, special educational needs (SEN) & parental capacity
Corporate training, HR consultancy & organisational psychology

High-Profile Medicolegal Instructions

Autism & Neurodiversity (sample)

South London Coroners Court (2025) – Inquest into preventable death of autistic man with learning disability.
Carptener v Direct Line Insurance (2024) – Impact of ASD on employment prospects of professional football coach.
R v Chew (2022) – Assault on Prof. Chris Whitty; ASD & ADHD.
R v Ali (2015) – High-profile terrorism case; ASD diagnosis and fitness-to-plead.

ADHD (sample)

Re DW (2022) – ADHD assessment, Public Law Children Act.
R v Fearnall (2021) – Sexual communication with a child; sentencing mitigation.

Personality Disorder (sample)

Patel v PDT Solicitors (2022) – Disability discrimination; EUPD & ASD.
R v Bergum (2015) – Murder; EUPD and risk assessment.

Personal Injury & Neuropsychology (sample)

NHS Wales Legal Services (£7 m claim) – Clinical negligence; brain injury & PTSD.
Burlingtons Legal LLP – Dyslexia, dyspraxia & ADHD in multi-million-pound sovereign-wealth-fund dispute.

Employment & Discrimination (sample)

Borg Neal v Lloyds Banking Group – Wrongful dismissal of dyslexic employee.
Okosun v Salisbury NHS FT – Dyslexia disability assessment of medical doctor.

Academic & Research Appointments

Lecturer/Senior Lecturer in Business & Psychology – University of Derby (2015-2016)
Visiting Lecturer – Multiple UK universities since 1990

Key Qualifications

PhD Applied Psychology, Cranfield University
Doctorate in Occupational & Organisational Psychology, University of East London
MSc Investigative (Forensic) Psychology, Distinction, University of Huddersfield
Postgraduate Professional Diploma in Forensic Psychology Practice, University of Derby (in progress)
BA (Hons) Psychology, Open University
Extensive postgraduate training in adult education, project management (PRINCE2, MSP), psychometrics (WAIS-IV, ADOS-2, ADI-R) and neuropsychological test use.

Professional Memberships & Registrations

Practitioner Psychologist – Health & Care Professions Council (PYL15766)
Chartered Psychologist & Associate Fellow – British Psychological Society
Full Member – BPS Divisions: Neuropsychology, Occupational, Academics & Researchers
Member – Expert Witness Institute, Academy of Experts, Vocational Rehabilitation Association, British Neuropsychological Society

Continuous Professional Development

Certified in ADHD (CADDRA), autism diagnostics (ADOS-2, ADI-R), forensic test use, WAIS-IV and WMS-IV. Regularly attends DSM-5, mental-health jurisprudence and child-protection training to maintain evidence-based practice.

Selected Publications

Horsford, B. I. (2014). Initial analysis of the equality impact to support the development of the revised Mental Health Act 1983 Code of Practice. Department of Health.
Horsford, B. I. (1990). Cultural issues and psychiatric diagnosis. In N. Hayes (Ed.), Foundations of psychology: An introductory text. Routledge.

Contact

Advanced Assessments Ltd
4^th Floor, 49 St James’s Street, London SW1A 1JT
Website: www.toppsychologist.co.uk | Secure Email: [email protected] | Tel: +44 (0)20 208 2000078

Rated excellent
* * * * * 5/5

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Profile: Dr Bernard Horsford

Dr Bernard I. Horsford exemplifies the four-domain framework for exceptional psychological practice in the United Kingdom. A dual doctoral graduate (PhD Applied Psychology; Doctorate in Occupational & Organisational Psychology), he is an HCPC-registered practitioner psychologist (Reg. PYL15766) and a Chartered Psychologist as well as Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society. These qualifications place him at the regulatory apex of the profession and provide the statutory foundation for his clinical, forensic and organisational work.

Domain 1 – Qualifications

Dr Horsford’s academic portfolio spans psychology, law and business (PhD, MSc Investigative Psychology, MBA, LLB, BA), augmented by postgraduate diplomas in adult education and marketing. He maintains an expansive CPD record – including recent specialist certification in ADHD and autism practice – and his registration obliges him to meet the 2023 HCPC Standards of Proficiency for practitioner psychologists. This continuous professional engagement underpins an ethical stance that is both uncompromising and legally defensible.

Domain 2 – Core Competencies

Over three decades in practice, Dr Horsford has conducted thousands of psychometric and neuropsychological evaluations, currently averaging forty-five autism and seventy-seven ADHD diagnostic assessments per annum. His clinical work is grounded in goal-oriented cognitive-behavioural therapy, enhanced by advanced skills in anger management, bereavement counselling and conflict resolution. These interventions are delivered with a scientist–practitioner orientation: published research on equality impact and extensive use of routine outcome measures attest to data-driven decision-making. The consistently high therapeutic alliance is reflected in independent client reviews that award his services an overall excellent five-star rating.

Domain 3 – Professional Roles

Since 2001 Dr Horsford has served as Chief Executive and Consultant Chartered Psychologist at Advanced Assessments Ltd, overseeing multidisciplinary teams in London, Birmingham, Nottingham and Manchester. He provides expert-witness testimony across civil, criminal and family courts, with a case log that includes terrorism, homicide and complex disability discrimination matters, and he advises the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges on examination adjustments for neurodiverse doctors. His academic contributions include lecturing, reinforcing a culture of research, teaching and mentorship.

Domain 4 – Impact Metrics

The measurable effects of Dr Horsford’s practice are manifold. Court judgments frequently cite his evidence as pivotal, and service users report marked functional gains following diagnostic clarification and tailored interventions. His publications – most notably the Department of Health equality-impact analysis informing revision of the Mental Health Act Code of Practice – demonstrate scholarly influence. As a supervisor, he delivers structured training to psychologists and medico-legal professionals, embedding HCPC and BPS quality benchmarks throughout. Collectively, these outcomes satisfy the highest tier of the framework’s impact domain, substantiating his reputation as a leading practitioner-psychologist.

Conclusion

Dr Bernard Horsford’s career illustrates how doctoral-level education, statutory registration, advanced competencies, multifaceted professional roles and verifiable outcomes converge in the profile of a top psychologist. His portfolio offers commissioners, instructing solicitors and supervisees a transparent, evidence-based assurance of excellence.

Global Psychological Services for Legal, Insurance, and Educational Sectors

Expert Psychological Assessments for Cross-Border Legal, Clinical, and Educational Contexts

Dr Horsford offers internationally recognised, evidence-based psychological assessments and expert witness services designed to meet the needs of legal practitioners, insurance providers, and educational institutions. Drawing on over three decades of interdisciplinary experience in psychology and law and as a medicolegal consultant, Dr Horsford provides high-quality psychological evaluations that are both legally defensible and clinically robust, delivered across international jurisdictions.

For Legal Professionals and Courts

Legal professionals operating in family, civil, criminal, and immigration law require psychological evidence that is reliable, admissible, and ethically conducted. As a registered psychologist and unregistered barrister Dr Horsford provides:

Expert witness reports compliant with:
- UK Civil Procedure Rules Part 35
- Family Procedure Rules
- Criminal Procedure Rules
- Immigration and asylum guidelines
Forensic psychological assessments for:
- Capacity to litigate
- Fitness to plead and stand trial
- Risk assessments (violence, reoffending, sexual harm)
- Mental health and personality evaluations
Cross-border family law cases, including:
- Parental capacity
- International relocation and safeguarding
- Child psychological assessments in divorce proceedings

All reports are structured for clarity, forensic validity, and alignment with judicial expectations across jurisdictions including the UK, EU, the Caribbean, and Middle East.

For Insurers and Personal Injury Firms

Dr Horsford delivers comprehensive psychological evaluations for insurers, personal injury solicitors, and claims handlers, addressing psychological sequelae of trauma, accidents, or workplace incidents. Reports include:

Psychological injury assessments (e.g., PTSD, depression, anxiety disorders)
Cognitive and neuropsychological evaluations following acquired brain injury
Occupational stress and burnout evaluations
Independent medical-legal psychological reports (IMEs)
Prognostic opinions and treatment recommendations
Evaluations for claims involving:
- Road traffic accidents
- Workplace accidents and vicarious trauma
- Chronic pain and somatic symptom disorders

All assessments comply with GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018, and industry standards for medicolegal reporting. Reports are suitable for litigated and non-litigated claims, with concise diagnoses, causal attribution, and clearly articulated reasoning.

For Educational Institutions and SEND Professionals

Dr Horsford supports schools, local authorities, and higher education institutions with psychological evaluations that inform Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision, behavioural interventions, and diagnostic clarity in complex cases. Services include:

Autism and ADHD diagnostic assessments
Specific learning difficulty assessments (e.g., dyslexia, dyspraxia)
Cognitive assessments (e.g., WISC-V, WAIS-IV, WIAT-III)
Social, emotional and behavioural assessments
Support for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)
Expert reports for:
- Tribunals (SENDIST)
- Independent School Admissions
- International boarding school placements

All reports are written in plain English, with recommendations aligned to national frameworks such as the SEND Code of Practice (2015) and Department for Education (DfE) statutory guidance.

Secure and Internationally Compliant Delivery

Dr Horsford uses encrypted, GDPR-compliant platforms to deliver assessments remotely to clients globally. Face-to-face appointments can be arranged in London or internationally by request. Each service is underpinned by ethical standards, cultural competence, and legal accountability, ensuring that stakeholders—whether legal, clinical, or educational—receive expert guidance grounded in science and sensitive to local and global legal frameworks.

Expert Witness Psychologist Booking Packs, Terms & CV

Dyslexia, ADHD, Autism & Mental Health Tests & Booking Packs

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