Dr Dan Shears

Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist

My Experience

I count myself very fortunate indeed, to have joined my valued colleagues at 35 Great James Street in March 2025, having spent 18 years working in inpatient adolescent services at all levels of security, from General Adolescent Units through Specialist Eating Disorder Units, Intensive care Units (PICUs), Low Security, Medium Security and Prisons.

I have held senior management roles within the Private Sector, including, Medical Director, Clinical Director and Group Lead, for various inpatient providers.

I have spent the last 3 years doing long term Locum Tenens posts within the NHS in North West London in: Adolescent Home Treatment; A&E liaison and currently Community Learning Disability Services in Ealing.

I would call myself a true generalist, whilst having gained highly specialised expertise in each of the subspecialities along the way.

I have attended the British Isles Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT) residential training twice and set up and led DBT services in three inpatient settings.

ADHD and Autism Spectrum Disorder

I have developed a considerable expertise in the treatment of Neurodiversity which has been specifically honed over the last 3 years in community Psychiatry. I have developed highly specialise expertise, and now a passion in helping Parents navigate Health Social Care and Educational systems, when neurodiversity comes to bear. I have intimate knowledge and specialist expertise of the Education Health Care Planning (EHCP) process and The Care and Treatment Review, (CETR) processes at all levels of complexity.

I am especially keen that comorbid ADHD in the context of ASD is not left undiagnosed and untreated, as I am keen that ADHD (Inattentive type) is not overlooked or dismissed.

My approach to treatment is careful diagnosis and very close monitoring and titration of treatments in real time – not between disparate appointments.

My Research Interests

I have been an invited expert for the National Audit in Naso-gastric Feeding under Restraint research project, and I am currently an invited expert for a three year National Association of Psychiatric Intensive Care (NAPICU) Research Project, which is gathering evidence to inform policy for Intensive care provision in CAMHS Mental Health in the UK.

My early research Interest was in psychiatric outcome for children with Meningococcal Meningitis and Sepsis.

My Approach

I have a rather informal style and take a conversational approach to speaking with children and young people.

I like to see young people with their parents and often find that this is sufficient. I like to think I can help difficult things to be said in a supportive and unchallenging way.

I do not restrict myself to the medical model, and I often seen individuals for a more therapeutic endeavour that does not necessarily include medication. However, I am familiar with the whole gamut of medical treatments having been a long time in inpatient psychiatry.

My approach to psychiatry and therapy comes for a personal understanding that none of us are immune from the challenges and surprises that life can throw at us, and that at any point in one’s life it is normal and healthy to need, and ask, for help.

Personally

I grew up in North London and went to school in the City of London, singing (on a musical scholarship) at the Temple Church Choir.

At 16, I started riding a motorcycle to school and I follow my “school route” to and from, 35 Great James Street today. I have always maintained (and rebuilt when needed) my own bikes.

I have two adult children one in Australia, and on in Canada and I have a seven-year-old daughter.

This year I have rediscovered skiing after more than 40 years.

I am still learning something new every day!

I very much look forward to meeting you.

Dan