Children and Young People’s Consultants Recognised for Excellence

by Gráinne Connolly

Three Children and Young people Services Consultants for the Southern Health and Social Care Trust have been recognised for their outstanding contribution and excellence in their field.

Dr Ahmed Khan, Associate Medical Director for Children and Young people’s services has received a Fellowship from the Royal College of Physicians in Ireland.

Meanwhile, Dr Heather Hanna, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist in Intellectual Disability and Dr Lisheen Cassidy, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist have been made Fellows of the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

Dr Khan has been a consultant paediatrician with the Southern Trust since 2008. Appointed as Clinical Director in 2010, his Medical Leadership career progressed to become Associate Medical Director in 2013. 

Dr Khan is currently professional lead for medical workforce, clinical governance, safety and quality within Children’s and Young People’s services.

He has been key to driving positive change and service improvements including the ambitious £14.5 million acute paediatrics project and has been involved in improving quality of care for Children and Young People with several regional and national organisations including Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and as a Chair of British Association of Community Child Health, NI.

He has previously received Fellowship award from Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

Dr Cassidy has worked as a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist for the past 18 years throughout  England and Northern Ireland, within both inpatient and community settings.

Currently Clinical Director of the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service in the Southern Trust, Dr Cassidy has been involved in a number of significant developments of the service over the past ten years.

Having served as Chair and Vice Chair, Dr Cassidy is an active member of the faculty of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Royal college of Psychiatry in Northern Ireland and continues to contribute to the regional development of CAMHS and promotion of equitable and quality services.

Alongside the practise of evidence based medicine, Dr Cassidy has a keen interest in taking an individualised approach to assessing and treatment planning for young people and their families.

With Child and Adolescent Mental Health experience across Northern Ireland, Dr Heather Hanna joined the Southern Trust in 2014.

She has been instrumental in establishing the Trust’s Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service for Children and Young People with an Intellectual Disability and is Clinical Lead for the team.

The first of its kind in Northern Ireland, this service has been recognised across the UK and Ireland for its innovative approach in ensuring children and their families get the comprehensive support they need.

A member of the Northern Ireland Taskforce on Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services for children with disability; founder and co-chair of a cross border ‘ID CAMHS Network’; and author of a number of national guidance documents, Dr Hanna is at the forefront of promoting best practice in her field.

Congratulating his colleagues on their recent success Southern Trust Medical Director, Dr Richard Wright said:

“Thanks to such strong leadership, Southern Trust children’s and young people’s services have an excellent reputation for their commitment to continuous improvement for their patients and families. 

“We are absolutely delighted that Ahmed, Heather and Lisheen have all received this much deserved recognition.

"As Fellows of their Royal Colleges, our Consultants are now recognised amongst some of the most innovative and exceptional medics throughout the UK and Ireland.

"This mark of distinction shows their dedication to setting standards and promoting excellence to ensure the best possible outcome for children and young people.”