Dr Sally Cubbin
MBChB MRCPsych MSc DipCBT
Consultant Psychiatrist
Consultant Psychiatrist
Dr Sally Cubbin (MBChB, MRCPsych, MSc, DipCBT, FECSM) is a highly qualified, experienced, sensitive and caring Consultant Psychiatrist with over 30 years of expertise working with patients with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in adults).
She is a founding member of UKAAN, the UK Adult ADHD Network (https://www.ukaan.org), and sits on the executive committee and training sub committee. Her commitment to enhancing ADHD treatment for adults is evident through her workshops for healthcare professionals. As part of this role Dr Cubbin runs one day workshops on the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD aimed at increasing the knowledge of other clinicians including other psychiatrists, nurse prescribers, GPs and clinical pharmacists.
Dr Cubbin's extensive career encompasses roles at the National Adult ADHD Service in London and as a Consultant Psychiatrist to the NHS, where she currently provides part of the ADHD service for Southampton City. Her influence extends to shaping national and international consensus statements on ADHD, consolidating her status as a distinguished ADHD expert.
She holds a Diploma in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy from Oxford University and uses these skills for the treatment of mental illness using a psychological approach to compliment her medical skills. She has a special interest in insomnia and sees optimising sleep as an important approach to improving mental health. She also sees diet and lifestyle factors such as exercise and routine as a key part of a treatment strategy.
She will consider referrals from age 18, sometimes from age 17.
Qualifications
Dr Sally Cubbin was first registered by the General Medical Council (GMC) in 1993 (GMC number 4009027). She holds the degrees Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) from the University of Bristol, UK as well as a Masters Degree (MSc) in Psychological Medicine (University of Wales, Cardiff, 2000). She completed her higher training in psychiatry in the Oxford Deanery and also The Maudsley Hospital, London. She is a Member by examination of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (2000) and has been awarded a Certificate of Completion of Specialist Training (CCT) for her training in the UK. She is registered on the GMC Specialist Register for General Adult Psychiatry and the Psychiatry of Older Adults.
She is a member of the executive committee and training sub committee of the UK Adult ADHD Network, UKAAN (ukaan.org). As part of this role Dr Cubbin runs workshops on the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD aimed at increasing the knowledge of general psychiatrists.
RESEARCH AND MEDIA CONTRIBUTIONS
Dr Cubbin is passionate about improving ADHD treatment for adults. She has participated in the development of consensus statements with other health care professionals; contributed to medical publications and national press articles; and has featured in podcasts and live broadcasts all about ADHD.
Below is a selection of Dr Cubbins research contributions.
Females with ADHD
Dr Cubbin co-authored the expert consensus statement published in BMC Psychiatry 'Females with ADHD: An expert consensus statement taking a lifespan approach providing guidance for the identification and treatment of attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder in girls and women'.
Failure of Healthcare Provision
This consensus statement was published in Frontiers Psychiatry 'Failure of Healthcare Provision for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder in the United Kingdom: A Consensus Statement'.
Mainstreaming Adult ADHD
Dr Cubbin co-authored the expert consensus statement published in BMC Psychiatry 'Mainstreaming adult ADHD into primary care in the UK: guidance, practice, and best practice recommendations'.
ADHD and substance misuse
Dr Cubbin co-authored the World Journal of Psychiatry expert consensus statement 'Identification and treatment of individuals with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and substance use disorder: An expert consensus statement'.
Assessments For Adult ADHD
National guidelines on standards for assessments in adult ADHD published in the British Journal of General Practice (BJGP) 'Assessments for adult ADHD: what makes them good enough?' published in the BJGP.
ADHD In Adults
She co-authored the educational article published in the BJGP 'Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in adults: common in primary care, misdiagnosed, and impairing, but highly responsive to treatment'.
ADHD and Obesity
Dr Cubbin co-authored this response in the journal Medicine highlighting that ADHD is commonly seen in obesity clinics yet is often missed.
Occupational therapy interventions and ADHD
She co-authored this 2021 consensus statement on occupational therapy interventions and ADHD.
Research into eye movements and ADHD
Dr Cubbin co-authored this research paper on eye vergence responses during an attention task in adults with ADHD.
That ADHD Story
Dr Cubbin also contributed to and is featured in the BBC Sounds series of podcasts on ADHD, 'That ADHD Story'
Radio 5 Live ADHD Interview
Interview on Nihal Arthanayake's BBC Five Live programme with Iranian comedian Sheparak Khorsandi. Recorded 25th July 2023.
The Shortage of ADHD Medication
Dr Cubbin was interviewed about the global shortage of ADHD medication for this article in the New Scientist.
ADHD During Menopause
BBC News article about ADHD in the menopause.
Is ADHD Being Overdiagnosed
She argues that ADHD has been misdiagnosed as anxiety for years.
Supporting adults with autism - don’t forget comorbid ADHD
Dr Cubbin responds to an article in the British Journal of General Practice highlighting the common co-existence of ADHD alongside autistic spectrum disorders.
ADHD in Women
She was interviewed for this Cosmopolitan article 'Why are so many women only diagnosed with ADHD in adulthood?'
Midlife ADHD... A Hidden Epidemic?
In September 2022 Dr Sally Cubbin featured in this article in the Daily Express 'Midlife ADHD... a hidden epidemic?'
ADHD Self Diagnosis Industry
In February 2023 Dr Sally Cubbin contributed to the Telegraph article 'The ADHD self-diagnosis 'industry' offering a quick fix doesn't exist'.
Research into urgent referrals
She co-authored the research article How urgent is urgent? Analysing urgent out-patient referrals to an adult psychiatric service.
Books
Understanding ADHD in Girls & Women
Dr Sally Cubbin has written chapters for clinicians on the assessment of ADHD and on the treatment of ADHD in 'Understanding ADHD in Girls and Women' published in April 2021 by Jessica Kingsley.
A Clinician’s Guide to Mental Health Conditions in Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder: Assessment and Interventions
Dr Sally Cubbin contributed a chapter on ADHD for this book written for health care professionals treating patients suffering autistic spectrum disorders, published in October 2019 by Jessica Kingsley.
Experience
Dr Sally Cubbin worked as a Consultant Psychiatrist at the Maudsley Hospital Adult ADHD National Referral Service in London for four years between 2008 and 2012 where she assessed and managed patients with this disorder. She has also worked in the NHS as a Consultant General Adult Psychiatrist in Hampshire and in Neuropsychiatry at the National Brain Injury Centre at St Andrews Hospital, Northampton. For many years, she provided the NHS Adult ADHD Service for Southampton City. More recently her NHS work includes reviewing the mental health needs of patients with an existing diagnosis of ADHD in Southampton City and tending to her large local NHS caseload.
Teaching and publications
She has worked as both a clinical skills tutor and an academic tutor to Oxford University medical school and continued to contribute to training junior doctors during her time as an NHS consultant.
She currently runs workshops attended by GP’s, psychiatrists, nurses, psychologists and pharmacists on how to assess and treat Adult ADHD.
Dr Cubbin has published two guides to adult ADHD for GPs in 2020 and 2014. In 2014 her education piece was published in Clinical Focus Primary Care (ADHD: A lifespan disorder often unrecognised or misdiagnosed. Cubbin S and Jeffs J. Clinical Focus Primary Care.2014 8(2): 78-85).
Dr Sally Cubbin is also contributing to updating and rewriting a number of chapters for a planned new edition of the UKAAN (UK Adult ADHD network) manual for clinicians ‘Handbook for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in Adults’.
Research interests: Dr Cubbin has been involved in a trial testing the ability of a computer game to help diagnose ADHD - Eye Vergence Responses During an Attention Task in Adults With ADHD and Clinical Controls. This was published in the Journal of Attention Disorders in 2020.
Other experience: Management – she has spent time working in the private healthcare sector as well as the NHS and held the post of Associate and then Assistant Medical Director of Bupa from 2001 to 2004.
Personal: She has an interesting and broad background as a medical doctor and has previously held appointments in accident and emergency medicine as well as paediatrics. She has travelled extensively and has worked abroad. Her interest in expedition medicine has led to voluntary work participating as expedition doctor on a Raleigh International expedition to South America. Sally is interested in canoeing, cycling, photography, travel and hiking.
About Adult ADHD Clinic?
Dr Cubbin’s passion for ADHD has been developed in response to the growing understanding that this condition has been misunderstood, ignored and under-represented for too long.
An introduction to ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common disorder, occurring in around 5% of school-age children and 2.5% of adults, where people who are affected by ADHD typically show high levels of symptoms relating to poor concentration, disorganisation, impulsivity, hyperactivity and mood instability.
