Dr. Catia Acosta

I am a medical doctor and a specialist in General Adult Psychiatry with an endorsement in liaison psychiatry plus a subspecialty in both Perinatal Psychiatry and Eating disorders. I have particular expertise in the assessment and treatment of Eating Disorders during the Perinatal Period.

I currently work at the perinatal and parent-infant mental health service, based at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital (part of Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust). Previous I worked at the perinatal mental health service – MAPPIM, based at St Thomas Hospital (part of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust) and Vincent Square Eating Disorder Service and I have a private practice.

I previously worked as a consultant psychiatrist in eating disorders at Vincent Square Eating Disorders Service, also part of Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust.

I am particularly keen on the wider promotion and education of mental health. I am regularly involved in teaching and training sessions, for medical students, doctors and any other health professionals (ie nurses, midwives, and psychologists) as well as those in the volunteer sector (ie Samaritans). I deliver sessions on any psychiatric theme in particular the Mental Health and Mental Capacity Acts, Perinatal Psychiatric problems as well as Eating Disorders.

I have trained and worked previously at the Eating Disorder Service at the Maudsley hospital as well as the Liaison services based at Guy’s and St. Thomas hospitals.

Background

I became a medical doctor in 2000 in Lisbon medical school, having worked and trained afterward in acute and Emergency Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

I then moved to London in 2007 and completed my specialist training in General Adult Psychiatry with expertise in Liaison Psychiatry, Eating Disorders, and Perinatal Psychiatry at the Maudsley training rotation, having worked at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust in association with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology, and Neuroscience (IoPPN) and King’s Health Partners, where I still teach.

Special interests

I have experience in assessments for legal proceedings and Court report writing as an expert in psychiatric conditions and I am part of the Expert reference group on Factitious Disorder Imposed on Another (FDIoA), with the Royal College of Psychiatrists.

I also special interest in the assessment of patients prior to undergoing bariatric surgery and patients suffering from Chronic fatigue syndrome having worked at the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome clinic at the Maudsley hospital.

Registrations:

I am on the GMC specialist register as General Adult and Liaison psychiatrist, number 6148438.

I am a member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, number 823149.