Dr Vicky Cleak

Dr Vicky Cleak is a consultant general adult and liaison psychiatrist with over 20 years’ experience working at consultant level across the NHS and independent healthcare.

Dr Cleak has particular expertise in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and its co-occurring conditions. This is informed by extensive clinical and personal experience which has given her a strong understanding of the ways in which ADHD can present differently across adulthood. She has a particular interest in ADHD in women, including the interaction between ADHD symptoms and hormonal change as well as co-morbid autistic spectrum disorder, leading to burnout.

Dr Cleak has qualifications in solution focused therapy and coaching which enables her to take a holistic approach for patients, working in partnership with them to achieve the best outcomes.

Alongside her clinical practice, Dr Cleak has a longstanding involvement in medical education, appraisal and professional development. She continues to be an examiner for the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Training

• MBChB- Sheffield University, 1996

• MRCPsych- London, 2000

• Diploma in Solution Focused Therapy- Guildford, 2001

• Postgraduate Diploma Neuropsychiatry- Birmingham, 2004

• MA Professional Enquiry- Winchester, 2010

• ACC accreditation International Coaching Federation, 2017

• UKAAN ADHD training, 2019

• ADI-R training, 2023

Links to clinical articles/research papers:

• Cleak VE. Wearable Devices: are we ready for a paradigm shift in psychiatric treatments?. BJPsych Advances (2025), doi:10.1192/bja.2025.10144.

• Booker J. Cleak V, Undervalued and overlooked: importance of private space in liaison psychiatry. BJPsych Advances (2022),doi:10.1192/bja.2022.50.

• Cleak V. Coaching can improve doctors’ performance. British Medical Journal 2016: 353; 81.

• Babu S. Htike MM, Cleak VE. Workplace-based assessments in Wessex: the first 6 months. Psychiatric Bulletin 2009; 33: 474-8.

• R. Hou, V. Cleak, R. Peveler, Do treatment and illness beliefs influence adherence to medication in patients with bipolar affective disorder? A preliminary cross-sectional study.

• European Psychiatry 2010;25(4): 216-219

• Update for the MRCP 1- second edition 2003, M. Whitham, T. Gray. Churchill

• Livingstone. Psychiatry questions section p15-17; 105-117.

• MBChB- Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery

• MRCPsych- Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists

• MA Professional Enquiry - Master of Arts (medical education)

• Pg Dip Neuropsychiatry- Post-graduate Diploma

• PgDip Solution Focused Therapy- Post-graduate Diploma