Dr Andreas Schenk

Dr Andreas Schenk was appointed as staff consultant psychiatrist at Priory Hospital Southampton in 2007. Since then he has done most of his inpatient work as a consultant on the Eating Disorder Unit.

Dr Schenk is Section 12 approved and is appointed as medical scrutineer for patients detained under the Mental Health Act at Southampton. He provides private outpatient services in Bournemouth and Southampton.

Dr Schenk is a founding member of the European Society for Lifestyle Medicine and the European Lifestyle Medicine Organisation. He is currently a member of the following professional bodies: General Medical Council (full registration as specialist psychiatrist), Royal College of Psychiatrists, British Society for Ecological and Nutritional Medicine, British Society for Lifestyle Medicine, and European Lifestyle Medicine Organisation.

Although Dr Schenk has trained in and employs a biological/medical model of psychiatry, he has experience in assisting individuals with non-pharmacological methods as well. For those who feel they may benefit from a more holistic approach Dr Schenk can advise on lifestyle interventions, psychotherapy and the utility of other complementary methods. He strongly believes in tailoring an individual approach suited to your specific needs.

In addition to clinical work Dr Schenk has enjoyed lecturing medical students and MRCPsych candidates. He is also regularly requested to undertake psychiatric assessments for medicolegal purposes, the CAA as well as fitness to practice hearings.

Training

Dr Schenk qualified as a medical doctor in 1992 and as a specialist in psychiatry in 1999. He has worked as a consultant psychiatrist in South Africa and at the Dorset Healthcare Trust for more than 7 years before being appointed as a staff consultant at Priory Hospital Southampton in 2007.

Dr Schenk’s interests in medicine and psychiatry are numerous and his experience diverse. Prior to specialising, he worked as a GP with a special interest in chronic fatigue (ME). He has extensive experience working as a lead consultant psychiatrist on an inpatient biological psychiatry unit, as well as an inpatient psychotherapy unit specialising in the treatment of personality disorders. He has worked in liaison psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, community psychiatry and eating disorders in urban, as well as rural settings. His work outside of the UK has also afforded him a valuable cross cultural perspective on psychiatry and he has obtained further medical certification by successfully passing the American Medical Licencing exams (USMLE 1&2).

Research Interests

During his speciality training Dr Schenk undertook research in the field of psychoimmunology. He has maintained a keen interest in reviewing research in eating disorders, occupational health, aviation medicine, neurophysiology, functional medicine and lifestyle medicine.  

Clinical Articles and Research Papers

• Commentary on combining pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy, SA Psych Rev 2003; 19-21: https://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajpsy/article/download/96388/85715
• Commentary on depression may be associated with hippocampal volume changes and HPA axis dysfunction: Is treatment to remission the answer?, SA Psych Rev 2004;7:5-9: https://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajpsy/article/viewFile/30167/22786

Languages

Dr Schenk has a working knowledge of:

• Afrikaans
• German