Dr Ashok Sharma

I am a Consultant Psychiatrist, who completed psychiatrist training in India in 1984. Following this, I started practicing and gained attachments as consultant in a number of important hospitals and clinics in and around New Delhi, India, while running my own practice independently. I came to the UK in 2004 following selection in the International Fellowship Scheme and joined the present job. During this period, I got Sec 12 approved. Following completion of the fellowship in 2006, I became a substantive consultant and have continued in this job through various changes in this Trust.

During my time of 30 years as a Psychiatrist, I have had the opportunity to treat a wide variety of patients from diverse background and complexity. During the initial years of present job, I was working both in community and inpatient wards. Following implementation of various changes in our Trust, approximately 4 years back, I chose to become an inpatient psychiatrist. In this role, I worked initially on the male and then female wards of Cherry Knowle Hospital. During this period, with help from other colleagues, we were able to improve the standards and efficiency of our ward leading to it being shortlisted for Best Ward Award in the Trust in 2012.

Following the opening of new hospital, Hopewood Park, I have been working in Longview Ward. Over the past 1 year, I have been involved in implementation of extended hours of working for provision of 24×7 inpatient services. The successful implementation of this pilot scheme has led to plans for rolling out same in other localities of our Trust. This work has given me some experience of working in the crisis team also.

Due to special interest in Adult ADHD, I volunteered to work in Adult ADHD services when these were expanded about 2 years back. This gave me an opportunity to work in assessment, diagnosis and treatment of these patients. I have benefitted tremendously with this experience, as it has helped me to understand a new group of patients with complex presentation and needs. Following re-organization of these services, I have stopped working in this role.

Apart from clinical work, I have been associated in teaching and training. In the past I have been associated with undergraduate and post graduate teaching programs for variable periods. I also volunteered to become an appraiser and undertook training for this. I have relinquished this role recently after doing it for a few years. In 2012, I was selected for a National Clinical Leadership Fellowship Program and successfully completed this in 2013. I was awarded a postgraduate certificate in leadership and service improvement by Manchester Business School, University of Manchester.