Ahmed Vanker: Consultant Clinical Psychologist & Neuropsychologist, Leicestershire

Dr Ahmed Vanker is a Consultant in Clinical & Paediatric Neuropsychology and a Consultant Clinical Psychologist based in Leicestershire.

Dr Ahmed Vanker works as a Consultant in Clinical & Paediatric Neuropsychology for the NHS and as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist at Spire Leicester Hospital.  He qualified as a Clinical Psychologist in Durban, South Africa, and completed a PhD in Neuropsychology at the University of Natal in 1989.

He worked at two teaching hospitals and held an Honorary Lectureship at the University of Natal Medical School (now Nelson Mandela Medical School). He then worked for 10 years in private practice, while holding an Honorary Lectureship at the Natal Medical School. He came to Britain in 1997 and has worked in his current post in a Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service, as well as in the Dept of Paediatric Neuropsychology at the Leicester Royal Infirmary.

He is an Honorary Clinical Teacher in the Department of Clinical Psychology at the University of Leicester. He is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist and an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, and is also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine. He is a Chartered Scientist with the Science Council and is a EuroPsy registered Clinical Psychologist. He was past Honorary Membership Secretary of the Division of Clinical Psychology of the BPS, where he served on the Executive and Admissions Committees.

Professional memberships

• British Psychological Society
• Health Professions Council of South Africa
• Royal Society of Medicine
  
• British Neuropsychiatry Association
  
• Association of Child & Adolescent Mental Health
  
• British Association of Behavioural & Cognitive Therapies
  
• The Science Council of Britain
  
• European Federation of Psychological Associations
  

Qualifications

• BA
  
• BA (Hons)
  
• MA (Clin Psych)
  
• Ph.D
  
• C Psychol
  
• C Sci
  
• AFBPsS
  

Clinical interests 

• The spectrum of child, adolescent and adult psychopathology, including developmental disorders of childhood, anxiety and affective disorders (depression), and organic mental disorders, across the age range
  

• Childhood disorders including pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), e.g., autistic spectrum disorder, attention and arousal problems, e.g., attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADDH), neurodevelopmental and learning problems, as well as anxiety and depression in children and adolescents (paediatrics).
  

• Adult mental health problems include stress-related symptoms, such as anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD, depression, sleep problems, adjustment problems and organic mental disorders.
  

• Neuropsychological assessments of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as epilepsy, head Injury, strokes (CVA), memory problems and brain tumours.
  

• Psychosomatic problems, such as psychological problems associated with physical illnesses, e.g., high blood pressure, diet-related problems, skin-related problems, etc, as well as sports & exercise-related problems.
  

• Diagnostic psychological assessments using a wide range of clinical psychological tests and neuropsychological tests, including intelligence (IQ), cognitive, memory, personality tests.
  

• Medico-legal assessments, more especially neuropsychological assessments of head Injury, and preparation of court reports.
  

• Treatments include cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), multimodal therapy, supportive psychotherapy and biofeedback therapy for various mental health problems as well as physical health problems which may have a psychological basis.
  

• Behavioural and relationship counselling and therapy for Individuals, couples and families.
  

• CBT for self-esteem (self-confidence) problems, avoidance problems and social phobias.
  

• Stress management for individuals, groups and organisations.
  

• Consultation and clinical psychological assessments for insurance-related problems.
  
  

Research interests

• Epilepsy, including temporal lobe epilepsy (complex partial seizures), traumatic brain injury (head injury), brain tumours and their relationship to psychopathology or mental illnesses, including the assessment of cognitive and neuropsychological dysfunction.
  
• Psychological diagnostic assessments, including computerised psychological assessments and neuropsychological assessments of psychiatric, neuropsychiatric, neurological and neuropsychological problems.
  
• Clinical applications of cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and biofeedback therapy in the treatment of stress and anxiety-related problems, including depression, as well as their use in physical illnesses or physical health problems, which may have a psychological basis.
  
• Health psychology and the co-morbidity of psychological problems in medical conditions, including the assessment and treatment of these.
  
• Sports psychology and coaching psychology, and their application to motivational, performance, achievement, stress-related problems, and self-esteem or self-confidence types of problems.
  
• Pharmacotherapy, including the use of anti-depressants, anxiolytics, hypnotics, tranquilisers, stimulants and anti-convulsants, and their concurrent uses with psychotherapy in the treatment of the symptoms of mental Illness.
  
• Iatrogenic (medication-induced) side-effects of medication, used to treat physical health problems or medical conditions, on the psychological well-being and mental state of the individual.
  
• Alternative treatment methods for psychological problems including diet, exercise, relaxation methods, sports, recreation and medication supplements and their effects on brain and body functions.
  
• Computer games and computerised brain trainer-type games and their use with cognitive, learning, emotional and behavioural Problems. 
  
  

Published papers

• Chapter titled “Recent Outcome Studies in Psychotherapy”. In: Carlisle, JB (1984), “Update on Psychiatric Management”. Durban: Dept. of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Natal.
  

• Co-authored chapter titled “Diagnostic and Treatment Models in Clinical Health Psychology”, with Carlisle, JB and du Plessis, W.F (1990).  In Schlebusch, L. (Ed.) Clinical Health Psychology - A Behavioural Medicine Perspective.  First Edition.  Southern Book Publishers.
  

• Forward in: Mind Shift – Stress Management and Your Health. Schlebusch, L. (2000). University of Natal Press
  
  

Treatments offered

Dr Vanker sees a wide range of individuals, of all age groups, with various mental and physical health difficulties, for psychological assessments and therapy.

• Children and adolescents: childhood disorders including pervasive developmental disorders (PDD), e.g., autistic spectrum disorder, attention and arousal problems, e.g., attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity (ADDH), neurodevelopmental and learning problems, as well as anxiety and depression in children and adolescents (paediatrics).
  

• Adults: adult mental health problems include stress-related symptoms, such as anxiety, panic attacks, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, sleep problems, adjustment problems and organic mental disorders, such as neurocognitive and memory disorders, dementias, traumatic brain injury, epilepsy, etc.
  

• Physical health: psychosomatic problems, as well as  psychological problems associated with physical illnesses, e.g., high blood pressure, diet-related problems, skin-related problems, etc, as well as sports & exercise-related problems.
  

The following types of psychological assessments are undertaken:

• Diagnostic psychological assessments using a wide range of clinical psychological tests and neuropsychological tests, including intelligence (IQ), cognitive, memory, personality tests.
  

• Neuropsychological assessments of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders, such as epilepsy, head injury, strokes (CVA), memory problems, brain tumours, dementia, etc.
  
• Medico-legal assessments, more especially neuropsychological assessments of head Injury, and preparation of court reports.
  

• Consultation and clinical psychological assessments for insurance-related problems.
  
  

The conceptual model used is a systemic bio-psycho-social one, and Dr Vanker undertakes the following types of treatment:

• Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT), multimodal therapy, supportive psychotherapy and biofeedback therapy for various mental health problems, such as anxiety, depression as well as physical health problems, including headaches, which may have a psychological basis.
  

• Behavioural and relationship counselling and therapy for individuals, couples and families.
  

• CBT for self-esteem (self-confidence) problems, avoidance-type problems and social phobias.
  

• Stress management for individuals, groups and organisations.
  
  

Where can I get treatment?

Contact details