Can you arrange blood or hair testing as part of the instruction?

Yes, where the question requires it. I can arrange PEth or liver function testing, or hair strand analysis through an accredited laboratory, and the results are interpreted alongside the clinical history rather than relied on alone.

Do you give a percentage figure for relapse risk?

I give a reasoned category of risk — low, moderate or high — supported by the factors relied on, rather than a spurious percentage. Where a tribunal or regulator requires a more granular scale, I explain what that scale can and cannot support on the evidence.

Will the person know the report may address their drinking or drug use critically?

Yes. The purpose of the assessment is explained before it begins, including that the opinion may not support the outcome the examinee wants, and that the duty is to the court or tribunal.

Can you report on alcohol-related brain damage without neuropsychological testing?

I can give a screening opinion based on clinical assessment and collateral history, but where the pattern raises a real question of cognitive impairment I will recommend formal neuropsychological testing rather than substitute my own judgement for it.

Do you accept instructions in drug-related death cases based on records alone?

Yes. Where the subject is deceased, the opinion is necessarily based on records, and the report states clearly that no examination took place and what limits that places on the conclusions reached.

Alcohol and substance misuse expert witness in Scotland

Instructions in this field ask a narrower and more technical question than a general psychiatric report: is there dependency on alcohol or drugs, on what evidence, and what does that mean for the legal question in issue. I hold an MSc in alcohol and drug addiction and am dually accredited in addiction psychiatry, and I bring that specialist training to bear on diagnosis, relapse risk and treatment planning rather than offering a general adult opinion dressed up to cover the point.

I act in personal injury actions where alcohol or drug use is said to pre-date or follow an accident, in employment and occupational health matters where fitness for safety-critical work is in question, in fitness to practise proceedings, in family actions, and in cases concerning drug-related deaths and alcohol-related brain damage. Instructions come from pursuer and defender agents, employers, regulators and, on a precognition basis, from the Crown and defence in criminal proceedings.

Scope of opinion

What I can advise on

Whether the person meets diagnostic criteria for dependence syndrome or harmful use under ICD-11, and the severity of that dependence.
The reliability of self-reported consumption against collateral evidence — GP records, blood markers, liver function tests and, where available, hair or PEth testing.
The relationship between substance use and a claimed psychiatric or physical injury, including which came first and which is driving the other.
Relapse risk, the factors that increase or reduce it, and the reasoning behind any percentage or category of risk given.
Capacity to return to or continue in safety-critical or regulated work, including driving, and what monitoring or conditions would reduce risk to an acceptable level.
Evidence of alcohol-related brain damage, including the pattern of cognitive deficit and whether formal neuropsychological testing is indicated.
In drug-related death cases, the deceased's pattern of dependence, engagement with treatment services, and missed opportunities for intervention where records permit that opinion.
The treatment reasonably required — detoxification, rehabilitation, community support — its likely duration and the evidence base for it.

Where a case turns on toxicology interpretation beyond my competence, or on neuropsychological testing proper, I say so and recommend the appropriate additional expert rather than extend my opinion past the evidence.

Typical instructions

Fitness to return to safety-critical work: An employee with a documented history of alcohol dependence seeks to return to a driving or machinery-operating role after treatment. The employer needs an opinion on current abstinence, relapse risk, and what monitoring — for example regular blood testing — would make return safe.
Personal injury with alleged pre-existing dependency: A defender agent instructs a report to test whether a pursuer's ongoing symptoms are attributable to the index accident or to an alcohol use disorder that predates it, drawing on GP records going back over a decade.
Alcohol-related brain damage in a capacity dispute: A family action or welfare guardianship application where sustained heavy drinking raises the possibility of cognitive impairment. The instruction asks whether the presentation is consistent with alcohol-related brain damage and whether further neuropsychological assessment is required.
Precognition in a drug-related death investigation: Solicitors acting for a family or for a treatment provider following a drug-related death request a report addressing the deceased's known pattern of dependence and engagement with services, based on records rather than examination.

The report

What the report includes

The report sets out the instructions received, the documents considered, a detailed substance use history taken from the examinee and cross-checked against records, mental state examination, and a reasoned opinion addressing each question in the letter of instruction. Diagnostic conclusions are referenced to ICD-11 criteria and the specific evidence supporting each criterion is identified rather than asserted.

Where self-report and collateral evidence conflict — a common feature of these instructions — the conflict is stated openly, and the opinion explains which evidence is preferred and why, including what weight is placed on biochemical markers where available.

The report closes with a statement of truth and a declaration that the duty to the court or tribunal overrides any duty to the instructing party, in accordance with the Royal College of Psychiatrists' guidance on expert evidence and the relevant procedural rules.

Timescales

Timescales and format

Assessment is normally carried out in person, since a substance use history and physical signs of dependence are best assessed face to face, though remote assessment can be considered where clinically appropriate. Appointments usually take between 90 minutes and two hours.

Report turnaround runs from receipt of complete records, including GP records covering an adequate period and any occupational health or treatment service records: [CLIENT TO CONFIRM: X weeks]. Cases requiring biochemical testing will take longer, and the likely timescale is confirmed once the testing requirement is identified.

Supplementary reports following further disclosure, joint reports with an opposing expert, and attendance at proof, hearing or tribunal are all available. Fees and cancellation terms are set out under fees and timescales.

Questions

Frequently asked questions

Can you arrange blood or hair testing as part of the instruction?: Yes, where the question requires it. I can arrange PEth or liver function testing, or hair strand analysis through an accredited laboratory, and the results are interpreted alongside the clinical history rather than relied on alone.
Do you give a percentage figure for relapse risk?: I give a reasoned category of risk — low, moderate or high — supported by the factors relied on, rather than a spurious percentage. Where a tribunal or regulator requires a more granular scale, I explain what that scale can and cannot support on the evidence.
Will the person know the report may address their drinking or drug use critically?: Yes. The purpose of the assessment is explained before it begins, including that the opinion may not support the outcome the examinee wants, and that the duty is to the court or tribunal.
Can you report on alcohol-related brain damage without neuropsychological testing?: I can give a screening opinion based on clinical assessment and collateral history, but where the pattern raises a real question of cognitive impairment I will recommend formal neuropsychological testing rather than substitute my own judgement for it.
Do you accept instructions in drug-related death cases based on records alone?: Yes. Where the subject is deceased, the opinion is necessarily based on records, and the report states clearly that no examination took place and what limits that places on the conclusions reached.

Instructing

Instructing Dr Qureshi

Instructions are accepted from pursuer and defender agents, insurers, regulatory bodies and occupational health providers. A conflict check is carried out before any instruction is accepted.

Send a letter of instruction Check availability and conflicts

Or call 07739 587092.