Meet our peopleAcross Surrey and Borders Partnership, our colleagues bring care, creativity and commitment to everything they do.
In these stories, they share what their roles involve and what a typical day looks like, offering a real glimpse into the work we do and the people who make it happen.
Meet Alexandra, Consultant Clinical Psychologist and FASD Clinical Lead
I feel incredibly lucky to work with such a talented, dedicated and passionate team.
I’m a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and the National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) Clinic Lead. FASD is a neurodevelopmental condition that can occur when a person is exposed to alcohol before birth. Alcohol can affect how the brain and body develop, and in some cases, this can lead to significant difficulties such as problems with memory, attention, language, and executive functioning. Our national specialist clinic offers assessments for children (aged six and above) and adults from all over the country. I lead the assessment process, bringing together findings from a multidisciplinary team to reach a diagnosis and make recommendations.
In addition to overseeing assessments, I manage the day-to-day operations of the FASD clinic and team and provide clinical supervision to the psychologists within the service. I work closely with senior colleagues and take a lead role in projects and development initiatives focused on improving care and advancing understanding FASD.
A typical clinic day starts with checking emails and catching up with the team. I then prepare for an assessment which involves reviewing a person's background information. My role involves meeting with the person and explaining how the assessment will work. As part of the assessment, I take physical measurements, looking at a person's facial features and their growth, areas that can be affected by FASD, and conduct a clinical interview. Once my part of the assessment is complete I hand over to colleagues such as psychologists and speech and language therapists, to carry out their reviews. Afterwards, I complete SystmOne administration, calculate the facial analysis results, and provide management and clinical supervision for the team. I also lead multidisciplinary team meetings to review assessments and discuss outcomes.
My work also involves writing reports, working with carers to understand the developmental histories of people we support, delivering feedback sessions to individuals and families, attending management meetings, and contributing to service development and research projects.
I really enjoy working directly with the people referred to us and their carers. It’s especially rewarding when we can offer clarity, tailored support recommendations, and renewed hope after years of uncertainty. Many individuals and families tell us that having a better understanding of their or their child’s needs is a huge relief.
I also feel incredibly lucky to work with such a talented, dedicated and passionate team. I’m equally grateful for the support we receive from senior leadership within the Learning Disability Division as well as other colleagues within the wider trust.
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