Hugh Middleton

Hugh Middleton is both an Associate Professor of the School of Sociology and Social Policy and an NHS Consultant Psychiatrist. Hugh qualified in medicine in 1974 (Cambridge and St George's), became a Member of the Royal College of Physicians in 1976, completed an MD (Cambridge) in 1980, became a Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in 1986 and was elected a Fellow in 2009. After medical training posts, university and research appointments in Plymouth, Sheffield, London (Royal Postgraduate Medical School), Oxford and Cambridge he was appointed Senior Lecturer and Honorary Consultant Psychiatrist; University of Nottingham and Nottinghamshire Health Care Trust in 1994. In 2006 he joined the School of Sociology and Social Policy.
Continuing practice as an NHS Consultant Psychiatrist, experience of both biomedical and psychotherapeutic research environments and national mental health service development programmes have all contributed to current research interests. These now focus upon the application of social sciences theory and methods to mental health issues. In recent years he has supervised ESRC funded PhD students completing theses entitled:
A Symbolic Interactionist Approach to Mental Health Assertive Outreach.
Help-seeking Behaviour Amongst People Experiencing Psychological Distress: Barriers and Issues.
Definitions of Mental Illness and Gate-keeping by NHS Mental Health Service Providers.
An Exploration of Roles Fulfilled by General Adult Psychiatrists in an NHS Mental Health Service Provider Organisation.
Use of Coercive and Restrictive Measures in In-Patient Forensic Settings: Association with Staff Attitudes and Ward Atmosphere.
In 2015 Hugh published "Psychiatry Reconsidered: From Medical Treatment to Supportive Understanding" which is a carefully informed critique of medical approaches to mental health difficulties. A follow-on is under preparation. He is Co-chair of the UK Critical Psychiatry Network, and a regular source of blogs and other publications.