Gary Spencer-Humphrey, BA (Hons), LL.B (Hons), MSc, PgD, FRSPH
Gary is an experienced and dual-registered Independent Social Worker (ISW) in England and Wales and the Consultant Director of Social Worker Gary. Gary specialises in adult social care/social work and mental health. He has a 20+ year health and care career specialising in mental health, adult social care and older person's social work.
Gary is also a warranted Approved Mental Professional (AMHP), a Best Interest Assessor and a Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Authorising Officer under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. He entered local government management in 2019, first as a deputy team manager and then as a social work manager, before moving to head up service areas as a senior manager. He manages Social Worker Gary part-time and also manages a national social work charity.
In addition to his social work qualification, Gary also holds a law degree (LL.B), a postgraduate diploma in safeguarding, a master's degree in advanced clinical (psychiatric) practice and is working towards a doctorate degree. Gary is a certified MoCA rater and holds the Civil Procedural Rules Expert Witness Certificate for Family Law and Civil Law, administered by Bond Solon. Gary is regularly instructed in mental health and mental capacity matters in the MHRT for Wales and the Social Care (Mental Health) First Tier Tribunal. His expertise spans mental health assessments, adult social care and NHS continuing healthcare appeals.
Gary has held seasonal posts as an academic tutor for a leading distance learning institute and has guest lectured at Bournemouth University for the School of Nursing and Midwifery. In 2012, Gary was appointed by the Lord Chancellor to sit on the Mental Health Review Tribunal as a Specialist Member, hearing various referrals and appeals under the Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended 2007). In 2017, he won a national social work award for contributing to community-based social work. In 2019, he was also nominated by a specialist CHC appeals company and won the 2019 Lawyer Monthly Expert Award for Social Care – UK. In 2022, our services were shortlisted for a Business Excellence Award.