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Expert Witness Profile
Merseyside
Areas Covered: UK
Languages Spoken: English
Dean McShane
Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN)
- PhD – Doctor of Philosophy, Dementia studies. (2021-2027)
- Masters in Education (MEd) (2019)
- PGCert – Postgraduate Certificate of Education (2017)
- BSc Degree Mental Health Nursing (2015)
- Research in Healthcare PQF (2013)
- Leadership & Development PQF (2013)
- Student Mentoring in Practice PQF (2012)
- Solution Focused Therapy PQF (2012)
- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy – PQF (2010)
- DipHE in Mental Health Nursing (2008)
- Royal College of Nursing (RCN)
- Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)
- European Sociological Association (ESA)
- Dean has extensive experience in mental health nursing, spanning almost two decades across specialist clinical, leadership and academic roles. Qualifying as a Registered Mental Health Nurse (RMN) in 2008, he commenced his NHS career within Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS), working across acute inpatient and community settings. During this time, he developed specialist expertise in the assessment and treatment of severe mental illness in children and young people, including complex emotional and behavioural presentations, risk management, crisis intervention, and the multidisciplinary management of eating disorders.
- Dean subsequently progressed to a Community Mental Health Practitioner role within an Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) service, providing specialist assessment and evidence-based interventions for young adults experiencing a first episode of psychosis. His work involved comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment, care coordination, relapse prevention, family interventions, physical health monitoring, and the delivery of recovery-focused care in accordance with national early intervention standards.
- Dean later undertook both clinical and leadership responsibilities within a Single Point of Access (SPA) service, where he was responsible for the triage and assessment of referrals received from primary care and other health and social care agencies. His responsibilities included leadership roles, risk assessment and management, diagnostic formulation, clinical decision-making, safeguarding, and determining appropriate care pathways within secondary mental health services.
- Alongside his clinical practice, Dean has developed a strong portfolio in nursing education, workforce development, and healthcare leadership. He has held roles as a Lecturer/Practitioner and Senior Lecturer, contributing to the education and professional development of pre-registration and post-registration healthcare professionals. His contributions to nursing education have been recognised nationally, including being shortlisted for the Nursing Times Educator of the Year Award and receiving the Chief Nursing Officer’s Medal for Nursing Excellence in 2019.
- Dean is currently a Senior Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing and a PhD candidate, with a research focus on the development and evaluation of non-pharmacological interventions for people living with dementia. His academic interests include dementia care, mental health service innovation, psychosocial interventions, evidence-based practice, and the integration of clinical expertise into healthcare education.
Dean is a passionate mental health and dementia advocate whose work extends beyond clinical practice and academia. He hosts The Man Hug Podcast, focusing on men's mental health and wellbeing, and is the director of MDFR (Merseyside Dementia Friendly Radio), the UK's first Dementia Friendly DAB radio station.
Dean has volunteered for over ten years as an Alzheimer's Society Dementia Ambassador and as a spokesperson for Playlist for Life, promoting the use of personalised music to support people living with dementia. His advocacy work reflects a commitment to improving public understanding of mental health and dementia through education, community engagement, and stigma reduction.
- Using a Living Lab Workshop to Evaluate a Digital Journaling Application with People Living with Dementia: A Case Study. (2026) Working with Older People Journal. Co-authors: McShane D, Smith, G, Bifarin, O & Morgan, D.
- From tragedy to best practice: male domestic abuse (2026) British Journal of Nursing. Co-authors: McShane D, Curran L. DOI: 10.12968/bjon.2025.0343
- The Man Hug: A men's mental health podcast (2024) British Journal of Nursing. Co-authors: Pierce-Hayes I, McShane D, Cooper D & Kelly, C. DOI: 10.12968/bjon.2024.0321
- Navigating challenges and shaping futures through mental health nursing in the United Kingdom (2024) Journal of psychiatric and mental health nursing. Co-authors: McShane D, Madden A, Kinsey L & Bifarin, O.
- Using personalised music to enhance the well-being of people with dementia (2023) Mental Health Practice. Author: McShane D
- Personalised meaningful music for people with dementia (2022) British Journal of Nursing. Author: McShane D. DOI: 10.12968/bjon.2022.31.16.836