Gary is an experienced and dual-registered Social Worker in England and Wales, specialising in adult social care and mental health. He has a health and care career dating back to 2003, working as a practitioner, manager and senior manager in health and social care.

He is a warranted Approved Mental Professional (AMHP), Best Interest Assessor and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) Authorising Officer under the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
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Gary holds a degree in social work and an LL.B law degree; he also has a postgraduate diploma in adult safeguarding: law, policy and practice, a master’s degree in advanced clinical practice and a range of post-qualifying awards in counselling, ethics and specialist social work practice.

​​In addition to his social work training, Gary is a certified MoCA rater and the holder of the CPD Civil Procedural Rules Expert Witness Certificate for Family Law and Civil Law, administered by Bond Solon.  ​

Gary is regularly instructed in matters relating to mental health and mental capacity in the Court of Protection and First Tier Tribunal. His expertise spans mental health assessments, adult social care and NHS continuing healthcare appeals. He has occupied a range of practitioner, supervisory and management roles across the health and social care spectrum.

He held seasonal posts as an academic for a leading distant learning institute and has guest lectured at Bournemouth University for the School of Nursing and Midwifery. In 2012, Gary was appointed by the Lord Chancellor to sit on the Mental Health Review Tribunal as a Specialist Member, hearing various referrals and appeals under the Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended 2007).

In 2017, he won a national social work award for contributing to community-based social work. In 2019, he was also nominated by a specialist CHC appeals company and won the 2019 Lawyer Monthly Expert Award for Social Care – UK. In 2022, our services were shortlisted for a Business Excellence Award.

Summary of Expertise:

Abuse investigations.
Adult social care.
Capacity assessments.
Community and residential care.
COP3 assessment of capacity.
Independent Social circumstances – First Tier Tribunal (Mental Health) or the MHRT for Wales – Risk Expert only (Legal Aid).
NHS continuing healthcare – appeals and challenges.
PA14 medical certificate (Probate).
Supervision of healthcare professionals.