Dr Catherine Durkin is a highly experienced Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist who has been working in the NHS as a consultant for over 10 years. Dr Durkin is the Clinical Lead for the Women’s Service Line within the Health & Justice Division of Central & North West London Foundation Trust. She is also the Joint Presidential Lead for Women and Mental Health at the Royal College of Psychiatrists and has co led on the development of the Royal College of Psychiatrists Position Statement on Menopause and Mental illness. She has also jointly led on the development of the Women's Mental Health Matters strategy which is to soon be launched.

Dr Durkin has developed her expertise and special interest in women’s mental health needs over many years working with women in prison and being involved with national and international work focusing on the unmet needs of women within health systems. Dr Durkin is committed to providing the best possible care for women who have often been overlooked or had their needs dismissed.

Dr Durkin has extensive experience in managing a range of mental health conditions including anxiety, depression, psychosis, neurodevelopmental disorders (ADHD and Autistic Spectrum Conditions ASC), PTSD, Complex PTSD, OCD, bipolar, pre menstrual dysphoric disorders and personality disorders.

Dr Durkin’s clinical interest and expertise focuses on neurodevelopmental disorders (ADHD & ASC) and Complex PTSD in adult women alongside the interface with hormonal change such as Pre Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder and Perimenopause. She has been involved in research on the prevalence and impact of ADHD diagnosis amongst women in custody and helped establish the neurodevelopmental pathway for women across the women's prisons within CNWL.

Dr Durkin’s work is underpinned by being trauma informed and she takes a holistic standpoint on managing mental health. She works closely with GPs and allied health professionals to ensure underlying health conditions as well as the perimenopause and menopause are being managed.

As well as working in the NHS Dr Durkin also has significant experience of working in the private sector as well as longstanding experience acting as an expert witness. Dr Durkin has an M.A from the University of Cambridge and an MSc from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine funded by the Medical Research Council. She was awarded an MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine & Surgery) with distinction by St George’s Hospital Medical School, University of London and undertook training in general and forensic psychiatry in South London.