Our specialist team includes professionals with many years of experience in FASD and neurodevelopmental conditions. We work together to understand each person’s needs and help local services provide the right support.
Professor Raja Mukherjee, MBE
Consultant Psychiatrist and Clinical Lead, National FASD Clinic
Professor Raja Mukherjee is a Consultant Psychiatrist who leads the UK’s National FASD Clinic. He set up the first NHS Specialist Clinic for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders in 2009 and has assessed more than 300 people from across the country.
Raja completed his PhD on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in 2014. He is actively involved in shaping national and international understanding of FASD, advising the Department of Health, the British Medical Association, and the World Health Organisation. He gave evidence to the UK’s first All-Party Parliamentary Group on FASD and helped develop the NICE quality standards for diagnosis and care.
In 2021, Raja was made Honorary Professor at the University of Salford for his contribution to FASD research and service development. In 2023, he was awarded an MBE in the King's Birthday Honours list for his work related to FASD.
Alongside his role in the FASD Clinic, Raja also leads Adult Neurodevelopmental Services for Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, covering Autism and ADHD services across Surrey and North East Hampshire. He is an Executive Committee Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Neurodevelopmental and Intellectual Disability Groups.
Meet the team
Dr Alexandra Carlisle is a Clinical Psychologist with over 20 years’ experience working in both the NHS and private practice. She completed her training at the University of Surrey in 1997 and joined the FASD Clinic in 2013.
Dr Carlisle is the Clinic Lead for the NHS Specialist Clinic for FASD. She is registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and is an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society (BPS). She is also a registered supervisor with the BPS.
She has a special interest in neurodevelopmental assessment and positive support approaches. Her research on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders has been published in journals including Child Neuropsychology, and she continues to support the clinic’s research work. Dr Carlisle has presented at international FASD conferences and has spoken on the topic for organisations such as ACAMHS, Adoption UK, and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.
Alex is a highly experienced Clinical Psychologist who leads on neuropsychological assessments within the FASD Clinic. She specialises in assessing neurodevelopmental conditions and has worked in the NHS for over 15 years, mainly with children and adults who have intellectual impairments and complex needs.
Alex is passionate about taking a holistic approach to assessment, helping to build a full picture of each person’s unique neurodevelopmental profile.
Louise qualified as a Speech and Language Therapist from City University in 1997. She began her career working in community clinics and language units in East London, later managing an NHS preschool service before specialising in complex neurodevelopmental profiles, a field she has worked in for over 20 years.
Louise has been part of the National FASD Clinic for the past eight years. She also co-delivers FASD masterclasses across the UK with the charity National FASD, helping to train other speech and language therapists.
Alongside her clinic work, Louise supports students with additional needs in further education and is part of a private multidisciplinary team offering neurodevelopmental assessments.
Marilyn joined the NHS in 2010 after a 20-year career in the offsite storage industry. She began as Medical Secretary to Professor Raja Mukherjee (then Dr Mukherjee) in the Learning Disability Team and has supported the FASD Clinic since its earliest days.
Since taking over full administrative responsibility for the clinic in 2013, Marilyn has built extensive knowledge of FASD through clinic observations, reading published research, completing online training, and coordinating appointments. She works closely with families and professionals, including social workers, SENCOs and GPs, to help the clinic run smoothly.
Marilyn also leads on finance coordination. She manages funding processes with Integrated Care Boards (ICBs), Integrated Care Systems (ICSs), and the Adoption Support Fund (ASF), and liaises with the Trust’s finance team to support invoicing. Her training includes:
- Finance for Clinicians
- GP Funding
- Clinical Coding
- NHS Costing
- Business Cases
- Understanding Budgets and Spreadsheets