Dan is the Managing Director of Psicon and a consultant clinical psychologist specialising in neurodevelopmental conditions in children and younger people.
He started Psicon’s neurodevelopmental lifespan service back in 2010, in response to the increasing demand for quick access to quality assessments. He sought out three experts in the field to help him, who all still work with him today.
From the start, Psicon was committed to delivering exceptional clinical quality, with kindness at its heart. The private service quickly developed a great reputation for doing exactly this.
At the same time, the local CAMHS service was struggling with long lists and in 2015 commissioned Psicon to bring down the waiting time for autism and ADHD assessments. By 2017, the team had successfully reduced these to around 16 weeks.
News of this success spread, and Psicon was then commissioned by other NHS Trusts and ICBs to do the same. Since then, the clinic has assessed tens of thousands of children and brought waiting times down across the country.
Psicon’s private service, based in Canterbury, has grown too, with more than 1000 children and young people assessed every year. The vast majority of private referrals come via word of mouth and Dan is exceptionally proud of this achievement. For him, there’s no higher praise than a recommendation from someone who has been through the service.
Dan’s guiding philosophy has always been to do the best for every person, at all times. From the start he wanted families to receive the highest quality care possible, whether they come to Psicon through the NHS or paid privately.
He wanted them to be seen by professionals who aren’t only experts in the field but are lovely people who care.
He wanted to make the cost of an assessment affordable for both privately paying families as well as for Trusts and commissioners – who are responsible for spending public money effectively.
He also wanted Psicon to grow and be available to everyone who needs an assessment for autism or ADHD.
Dan still has a caseload of clients, mainly young people with a diagnosis of autism. He feels very privileged to be let into their lives and to help nurture the most incredible and unique minds.
For Dan, autism is a difference, not an impairment. He believes that with the right support and understanding everyone can thrive.
Dan is a Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered Clinical Psychologist, with a doctorate in Clinical Psychology from University College London.