I have over 12 years experience in the treatment of Eating disorders and mood disorders. I am a national leader in my field in the treatment of Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, Binge Eating and Atypical Eating disorders. My approach is based on empathic support combined with the most up to date and effective treatment strategies.
Dr Sonu Sharma (she/her)
Lead Consultant Psychiatrist (eating disorders)
View Contact & Address details
Dr Sonu Sharma has been actively involved in the development and delivery of treatment in a number of settings:
- Dr Sharma has been elected as Royal College advisor to the National Eating Disorder Faculty. She served in this position for 3 years.
- She has also served as public education officer for the Royal College North West Committee which involved responding nationally for requests for information around eating disorders and psychiatry more broadly from newspapers and public bodies including the department of health.
- Dr Sharma was elected in 2012 as a member of the National Clinical Reference Group for eating disorders where she partook in the development of National Standards for Eating Disorder Services.
- Dr Sharma was part of the initial working group for Quality Assurance in Eating Disorders (QED).
- Dr Sharma was part of the original working group for developing the MARSIPAN guidelines, Management of Really Sick Patients with Anorexia Nervosa. These guidelines have been nationally approved by both the Royal College Psychiatrists and Physicians and are used broadly as the treatment template for Severe Anorexia Nervosa.
- Dr Sharma works with British Cycling and offers specialist psychiatric support to athletes.
Position at Priory
In 2010, Dr Sharma was appointed the National Clinical Director for the Priory Eating Disorder Services. This involved responsibility for the oversight and clinical governance of 12 Eating Disorder Units across the country.
Dr Sharma was appointed Lead Consultant on her current unit in 2015. She currently works across inpatient Day Care and outpatient settings.
Training:
- Dr Sharma qualified from Manchester Medical School.
- She trained in Psychiatry in London at the Royal Free & UCL Hospitals.
- She undertook training posts in National Centres for Eating Disorders including at The Maudsley.
- Dr Sharma has spent time working in both Australia and the US in order to explore up to date international treatments available.
- She worked as a Consultant in the NHS before taking her Consultant post at Priory in 2005.
Research interests:
- Dr Sharma is actively involved in research into medical complications associated with psychiatric illness.
- She has published several national guidelines.
- She works with the University of Manchester and the University of Liverpool.
- She teaches medical students at Manchester University.
Clinical articles and research papers:
SELECTION OF PUBLICATIONS
- MARSIPAN: https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/docs
- Eating and it’s Disorders, Online library. Wiley.com: Chapter Physiological Assessment of Eating Disorders – by Dr Sonu Sharma
- Adverse Effects of Atypical Antipsychotics. Pubmed
- A Multicentre cohort study of short term outcomes of hospital treatment for Anorexia Nervosa in the UK. Pubmed.
- Caregiving and coping in Carers of People with Anorexia Nervosa admitted for intensive inpatient hospital care. Pubmed.
Find a treatment location
Specialist Areas
Services Offered
Conditions Treated
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Anxiety
- Anxiety Attack Treatment
- Bereavement
- Binge Eating Disorder (BED)
- Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD)
- Bulimia Nervosa
- Depression
- Eating Disorders
- Exercise Addiction
- Food Addiction
- Medically Unexplained Symptoms (MUS)
- Mental Health Treatment
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
- Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorders (OSFED)
- Sleep Disorders (Insomnia)
Qualifications
- BSc (Hons)
- MBCHB
- MRcPsych