Professor Lindsay Thomson

Personal Chair of Forensic Psychiatry

Background

Lindsay Thomson is Professor of Forensic Psychiatry at the University of Edinburgh and Medical Director of the State Hospitals Board for Scotland and the Forensic Mental Health Managed Care Network.  She is an honorary consultant forensic psychiatrist working clinically in a high security setting.

Professor Thomson graduated in Medicine from the University of Edinburgh in 1987 and completed basic Psychiatry training at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital. She was a research fellow in the Division of Psychiatry for 2 years and then completed her higher psychiatric training in general adult psychiatry and forensic psychiatry.

She became senior lecturer in forensic psychiatry in 1997 and subsequently reader in forensic psychiatry. She was the psychiatry undergraduate course organiser from 1998 - 2015.

Responsibilities & affiliations

Clinical research impact markers include:

Board member of SACRO (Safeguarding Communities, Resettling Offenders) December 2006 - current

Advisory Board of the International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services (IAFMHS), 2008-current

Scottish Prison Service Mental Health Steering Group, 2008 – current

Chief Scientist Office Mental Health Portfolio Group 2007 – current

Risk Management Authority Research Panel 2011 – current

Forensic Executive, Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland, 1998-current

Forensic Psychiatry Research Society (FPRS): President, 2004 - 2009

Research summary

Professor Thomson’s research interests the improvements of the mental health of offenders and public safety, in particular:

  • risk of harm to others
  • mental health of prisoners
  • impact of legislative change
  • specific mental disorders and effects of co-morbidity
  • outcome factors for mentally disordered offenders
  • treatment interventions for mentally disordered offenders

View all 26 publications on Research Explorer