Alexandra Penfold

Qualifications

Dip in Mental Health Nursing, Provisional Member of Expert Witness Institute

Specialisms

• CAMHS
• Acute In-Patient Mental Health,
• Suicide & Self Harm,
• Medicines Management 

Introduction

I qualified as a registered mental health nurse (RMHN) in 2013 and began my career as a staff nurse in an adult acute inpatient mental health hospital. Since then, I have worked as a community psychiatric nurse for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), Lead Nurse for a Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment Team (CRHTT), Mental Health Nurse Educator for an Acute Medical Unit within a general hospital, bank nurse for an adult psychiatric liaison service and as Deputy Ward Manager for a private mixed acute adult inpatient ward. I have also worked for a locum nursing agency as a RMHN across acute, intensive care and secure inpatient hospitals. 

My specialist area is adult acute mental illness, predominantly in nursing those at risk of suicide, self-harm. I am experienced in nursing patients suffering from severe mental illness such as psychosis, Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorders (EUPD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), substance abuse issues and other illnesses. I have a wealth of experience in managing highly complex risk in acute care settings. 

Having worked across both community and inpatient services, I have a very good understanding of service structure and the different pathways through primary, secondary and tertiary mental health services. I have undertaken internal investigations of incidents such as those related to safeguarding issues, failure to return from Section 17 leave, medicines errors and incidents of self-harm or suicide or near-misses. I have extensive knowledge of the Mental Health Act 1983, Mental Capacity Act 2005 and this has been strengthened by my experience in teaching post and pre-registration nurses on legal frameworks. 

I have strong leadership and management skills and have led projects on wards such as interventions to reduce restrictive practice and improve patient and staff safety. I have an excellent understanding of the professional standards of registered nurses under the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code of Conduct.

Since June 2022, I have been working for the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) sector.

I accept instructions from both claimant and defendant solicitors and insurers. I have undergone formal training in the medico-legal process and am fully aware of my responsibilities under Civil Procedure Rules (CPR) pertaining to expert witnesses.