BMBS BSc (Hons) MRCPsych PGCert LL.M
I am Dr Rosie (Bethany Rose) Hay, a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist. I specialise in the assessment and treatment of neurodevelopmental conditions, including ADHD and Autism, as well as associated difficulties such as OCD, tics and Tourette’s, anxiety and depression. I can also support with sleep difficulties which commonly occur alongside neurodevelopmental conditions.
I established Hay Neurodevelopmental Service to provide thoughtful, thorough and individualised neurodevelopmental assessments for children and young people aged 7–17 years.
Assessments are available face-to-face in Cheltenham, online or a combination of both.
My approach is neuroaffirmative and strengths-based. I believe that an assessment should help a young person, their family and education setting develop a better understanding of how they experience the world, communicate and learn, recognising their strengths alongside the areas in which they may need additional support.
I aim for children and young people to leave the assessment process feeling understood, accepted and supported to thrive.
I am committed to ensuring that young people feel listened to, involved in decisions about their care, and supported appropriately at home and at school. I also recognise the importance of the assessment process for parents and families and aim to provide a thoughtful, collaborative and supportive approach throughout.
I previously worked as a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist within NHS Gloucestershire’s Children’s Autism and ADHD Assessment Service (CAAAS). Alongside my Cheltenham practice, I also currently work within a specialist Neurodevelopmental Psychiatry Centre in Harley Street, London.
Neurodevelopmental psychiatry has been a particular area of interest throughout my specialist training. I dedicated my special-interest training to neurodevelopmental assessment services across several NHS trusts, gaining extensive experience in assessing ADHD and Autism across a broad range of presentations, including more subtle and complex presentations.
This experience has given me a particular understanding of the different ways in which ADHD and Autism can present in girls and boys, including in young people who may mask or compensate for their difficulties within the school environment. I am mindful that, for some young people, their difficulties may not be immediately apparent to others and can therefore be overlooked or recognised later.
My Background
I qualified as a doctor from Brighton and Sussex Medical School in 2010, having previously completed a degree in Biology at the University of Southampton and undertaken a period of research there.
During my early medical training, I completed a Master’s in Legal Aspects of Medical Practice (LL.M) at Cardiff University, which strengthened my interest in mental health and the ethical foundations of medical practice. I also hold a Postgraduate Certificate in Healthcare Leadership and Management from the Peninsula Medical School, experience which I subsequently drew upon while supporting the development of Gloucestershire’s NHS Children’s Autism and ADHD Assessment Service.
I was honoured to receive the Margaret Davenport Prize from the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Faculty of the Royal College of Psychiatrists for my research examining the impact of routines on children’s emotional and behavioural difficulties and parental anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic, published in Frontiers in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in 2023.
I am a Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych)
I am on the GMC (General Medical Council) Specialist Register for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (7082580)
I am a registered Sleep Practitioner with Children's Sleep Professionals Membership with the Sleepwell Charity
