BUCHANAN, Dr Alec William (b 1958)

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0100 KCLCA IOP/PP8
Held at	: King's College London College Archives   Click here to find out how to view this collection at http://www.kcl.ac.uk/library/archivespec/ ›
Full title	: BUCHANAN, Dr Alec William (b 1958)
Date(s)	: [1984]-2001
Level of description	: collection (fonds)
Extent	: 0.18 metres cubed or 18 boxes
Name of creator(s)	: Buchanan | Alec William | b 1958 | forensic psychiatrist
Detailed catalogue	: Click here to view repository detailed catalogue

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

Born 1958; University of Edinburgh, MB ChB, 1981; MRC Psych, 1989; University of London, MPhil (psychiatry), 1991; Senior Registrar in Psychiatry, Maudsley Hospital, 1992; University of Cambridge, MPhil (criminology), 1993; University of Cambridge, PhD, 1996; University of Edinburgh, MD, 1996; Honorary Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist, Maudsley Hospital, 1997; Senior Lecturer in the Department of Forensic Psychiatry at the Institute of Psychiatry, London; Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Yale University. 2003. Publication:Care of the mentally disordered offender in the community edited by Alec Buchanan (Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2002)

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

The collection consists of working papers relating to Buchanan's professional career as a forensic psychiatrist in the UK, [1984]-2001, chiefly research papers relating to the Special Hospitals Service Authority and psychiatric reports relating to Maudsley Hospital patients. Section 1 comprises papers arising from the daily administrative operations of Maudsley Hospital London. Section 2 contains research notes, questionnaires and criminal record 'multiple enquiry forms' produced from the Home Office Offenders Index. This material relates to an unpublished study conducted by Buchanan from 1992-1995 of discharged special hospital patients convicted of violent re-offences. The findings, intended to inform the decision making of those entrusted with the care of special hospital patients, were funded by the Special Hospitals Service Authority. There are also confidential psychiatric reports (see ref 3/1 to 3/6), produced by forensic psychiatrists at Maudsley Hospital, London. The reports evaluate an individual's competency to stand trial, defences based on mental diseases or defects (for instance the "insanity" defence), and sentencing recommendations. Section 4 contains questionnaires relating to a project funded by the John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation focused on developing the Maudsley Assessment of Delusions Schedule to provide a more accurate and effective way of assessing patient's delusions. Section 5 consists of papers relating a psychiatric case assessed by Buchanan in his capacity as a member of the Serious Untoward Incident Panel of the Hounslow and Spelthorne Community and Mental Health NHS Trust. The collection also includes photocopies of articles from medical publications and on-line resources compiled by Buchanan which relate to the ethical connotations of patient confidentiality in connection with medical trials and research (see ref 6/1).

Access & Use

Language/scripts of material:
English

System of arrangement:

Arranged in the following sections: Papers as Forensic Psychiatrist, Maudsley Hospital; Special Hospitals Service Authority (SHSA) study; Maudsley Hospital psychiatric reports on offenders; Maudsley Assessment of Delusions Schedule; Hounslow and Spelthorne Community and Mental Health NHS Trust; patient confidentiality research papers.

Conditions governing access:

Open, subject to signature of Reader's undertaking form, and appropriate provision of two forms of identification, to include one photographic ID. Files relating to the medical records of named individuals, and files enabling the identification of participants in medical surveys are closed, to be reviewed 100 years from the date of the most recent document in the file. A small number of administrative files are closed for 30 years. Access may be granted to researchers in certain circumstances, and upon signature of a special undertaking, providing such research is for purely statistical purposes and published data is anonymised such as to prevent the identification of individuals.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied for research use only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Director of Archives and Information Management.

Finding aids:

Detailed catalogue, available online and in hard copy in the College Archives reading room.

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

Transferred via the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London.

Allied Materials

Related material:

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:

Rules or conventions:

Date(s) of descriptions:
Entry compiled 2007