Thomas C D Lewis

I was born and raised in Newcastle upon Tyne. I studied for my first Bachelor’s degree in BioEngineering at Imperial college London and, following graduation, I worked as an NHS Bioengineer in the Princess Royal hospital in Bromley and the Royal Free hospital in London before applying for graduate medicine at Newcastle University. I qualified as a junior doctor in 2012 and completed my foundation training in the Freeman Hospital and Royal Victoria Infirmary working in urology, geriatric medicine, intensive care, ENT surgery, Neurology and General Practice.

I started my psychiatric core training in 2014 and higher training in 2017. I was honoured to win both core trainee and higher trainee of the year during my training. I co-chaired the successful Old Age Higher trainee conference in Newcastle in March 2018. During my training, I spent 3 months in Tanzania during 2017 and 2018 researching neurocognitive disorders in patient’s living with HIV. The study is ongoing but several papers have already been published from the data collected.

I became a consultant psychiatrist in August 2020. I work in the Older Person’s Community Treatment Team where myself and the team support people who are, usually, over 65 years of age and are suffering from a wide range of mental health difficulties from organic problems such as dementia to functional problems such as depression and psychosis.

I have recently been working with the Royal college of Psychiatrists in the House of Lords to develop mental health policy and advocate for betterfunding for our mental health services and have an interest in developing the role of Physician Associates in psychiatric services. I am also a Medical Governor for CNTW and am a member of the Old Age Psychiatry Royal college Executive Committee.

Publications:

1. LEWIS T, PILLAI M, SALIM T, ALLAN CL. DIAGNOSING AND MANAGING DEMENTIA IN PRIMARY CARE. PRACTITIONER SEPT 2019;263(1829):17-20
2. Eaton P, Lewis T et al. Risk factors for symptomatic HIV ‐associated neurocognitive disorder in adults aged 50 and over attending a HIV clinic in Tanzania. Int J Geriatr Psychiatry. June 2020;1– 11
3. Mckinnon I, LEWIS T, et al. Vitamin D in patients with intellectual and developmental disability in secure in-patient services in the North of England, JPsych Bull. 2018 Feb; 42(1): 24–29