Ahmed Vanker: Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist in Leicester

Training and experience

Dr Vanker 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.

Dr Vanker 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. He is also a Mentor in the Dept of Clinical Psychology at Sheffield University.

Consultation

Dr Vanker provides expert assessment and treatment for a wide range of mental health issues in all age groups, including:

• Childhood disorders, including pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) such as autistic spectrum disorder, ADHD, neurodevelopmental and learning problems, as well as stress and depression in children and adolescents
• Adult mental health problems including stress-related symptoms such as anxiety, panic attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and sleep problems, and organic mental disorders such as neurocognitive and memory disorders, epilepsy, stroke, traumatic brain injury and dementias
• Psychosomatic problems and psychological problems associated with physical illness, including high blood pressure, diet-related problems, skin-related problems and problems associated with sports and exercise

Psychological assessments and treatments offered by Dr Vanker include:

• Diagnostic psychological assessments using a wide range of clinical psychological tests and neuropsychological tests, including intelligence (IQ), cognitive, memory and personality tests
• Medico-legal psychological assessments, particularly neuropsychological assessments of head injury and preparation of court reports
• Neuropsychological assessments of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders such as epilepsy, head injury, strokes (CVA), memory problems and brain tumours
• Psychological therapies, including cognitive behavioural 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

Referral

Although Dr Vanker can see people directly, he does advise clients to get a GP or consultant referral.

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.