Dr Natasha Bijlani

Consultant Psychiatrist - Adult
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About

Dr Natasha Bijlani is a general adult psychiatrist, who can treat patients between the ages of 18 to 65 years.

Dr Bijlani has been based at Priory Hospital Roehampton as a self-employed private psychiatrist since 2006. She is able to offer in-person appointments at Priory Hospital Roehampton on Mondays and Thursdays, and online appointments on Tuesdays.

In September 2018, Dr Bijlani was elected to Fellowship of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (FRCPsych) as a mark of distinction and in recognition of the significant contribution she has made to the core purpose of the Royal College of Psychiatrists throughout her career.

She has over 35 years’ experience in treating adults with mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, addictions such as alcohol and recreational drug dependence, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), insomnia, relationship issues and stress, as well as stress due to employment issues.

Dr Bijlani has a particular interest in women’s mental health issues and pregnancy-related mood disorders, such as postnatal depression, anxiety and psychosis.

She has an interest in public education and promoting good mental health to help reduce the stigma associated with psychiatric illness. She makes regular contributions in the media and presentations to GPs and other medical colleagues on a range of mental health subjects.

Other relevant information

Dr Bijlani was previously consultant psychiatrist in the NHS for Wandsworth assertive community treatment (ACT) team, St George's Hospital, Tooting, London between 2003 and 2006 and prior to that, was specialist registrar for eating disorders, general adult psychiatry, women's service and mother and baby unit at Springfield University Hospital, Tooting. She was also the editor of the Women in Psychiatry Special Interest Group (WIPSIG) Newsletter of The Royal College of Psychiatrists from 2003 to 2009.

Dr Bijlani obtained her medical qualification at St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, University of London in 1987 and continued to train in psychiatry at St Bartholomew’s to obtain membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych) in 1993.

Following completion of senior psychiatric training at St George’s Hospital, Tooting, London, Dr Bijlani worked as a consultant psychiatrist for a specialist psychiatric team (in assertive community treatment) from 2003 until 2006.

Further information about Dr Bijlani is available on her website www.drnatashabijlani.co.uk.

Training and NHS roles include:

  • ACT
  • General adult psychiatry
  • Women’s service
  • Eating disorders

Administrative and management experience includes:

  • Fully registered with the General Medical Council (GMC) - registration number 3254266
  • Executive committee member of WIPSIG, Royal College of Psychiatrists (resigned in autumn 2009)
  • Editor of WIPSIG newsletter (June 2003 to February 2009)
  • Life member of the British Indian Psychiatric Association (BIPA)
  • Co-clinical tutor at Priory Hospital Roehampton for medical students from UCL and Royal Free Hospitals from 2007 to 2015
  • In the academic year of 2007-8, Dr Bijlani  was commended as being “a particularly helpful or inspiring tutor” by medical students
  • Member of Independent Doctors Federation (IDF) - 2011 onwards
  • Member of Chelsea Clinical Society - 2016 onwards
  • Clinical lead for therapy services at Priory Hospital Roehampton, from 2011 to 2015
  • Clinical lead for private acute services at Priory Hospital Roehampton, from 2015 to 2017
  • Medical scrutiny of Mental Health Act forms for all inpatients admitted to Priory Hospital Roehampton from 2017 to July 2020

Research interests

  • M. White, N. Bijlani, R. Bale and T. Burns, (2000) Impact of Counsellors in primary care on referrals to secondary mental health services, Psychiatric Bulletin, 24, 418-420
  • Royal College of Psychiatrists, OP66, Mentoring and Coaching, Nov 2008 (co-authored with Drs Rosalind Ramsay and Alan Swann)
  • Pulse Clinical “Insomnia” by Dr Julian Spinks, 23 Feb 2011, pg 17-18
  • N. Bijlani (2013) Sleep, tiredness, lack of energy: heart sink symptoms, Clinical Focus Primary Care Volume 7, issue 1: 51-60
  • I have been a regular contributor to the newsletter published by the WIPSIG of The Royal College of Psychiatrists

Clinical articles and published papers

Languages

  • English
  • Fluent Hindi
  • Basic Urdu
  • Basic Sindhi

Qualifications

  • Approved clinician status renewed
  • FRCPsych since 2018
  • MRCPsych since 1993
  • MBBS, St Bartholomew's Hospital Medical College, University of London, 1987
  • Section 12(2) approved

Most patients that Dr Bijlani consults invariably get referred for psychological therapy so they can learn to use skills to help them overcome their current difficulties or past trauma, as well as gain additional ways of dealing with future circumstances that could prove troublesome. She refers to a variety of psychotherapists to assist individuals with this and therapy can include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), supportive counselling, anxiety management techniques and relaxation training, amongst others. Family and couples/relationship therapy can also be arranged if required. In addition to individual therapy, Dr Bijlani is able to refer patients to attend a selection of psychological group therapies as a day patient at Priory Hospital Roehampton, or to arrange for their inpatient management, as clinically appropriate.