MB BS (UNSW), FRANZCP, MD (UNSW)
A/Prof Wijeratne graduated in medicine from the University of UNSW (UNSW), and trained in psychiatry at Concord Hospital and the Institute of Psychiatry/Maudsley Hospital, London. Whilst a sub-specialist in old age psychiatry, he has continued to assess and treat adult patients, including for many years at the Dubbo Community Mental Health Service.
He is currently Clinical Lead, Older Persons Mental Health, Prince of Wales Hospital. He has expertise in mood (depressive and bipolar) disorders, neurocognitive disorders such as dementia, and in managing the neuropsychiatric symptoms of Parkinson’s disease.
He was the lead author of Assessment and Management of People with Behavioural and Psychiatric Disorders of Dementia (BPSD). A Handbook for NSW Health Clinicians. His practice includes specific medico-legal work. He has expertise in the assessment of testamentary capacity (eg, Ryan v Dalton [2017] NSWSC 1007); capacity to appoint Power of Attorney and Guardian (eg, DK v The Public Guardian and RT [2018] NSWSC 1547); and capacity to practice in health professionals (eg. HCCC v Khan (2016) NSWCATOD 32). He was previously a board member of Capacity Australia.
He is a Conjoint Associate Professor at UNSW (Discipline of Psychiatry & Mental Health) and has 70 peer reviewed publications. He has received multiple research grants, including from the Australian Research Council, Australian Rotary Health Research Fund and The Avant Foundation. He has enjoyed researching multiple areas including bipolar disorder and functional somatic syndromes which was the subject of his postgraduate research degree. He developed an interest in doctors’ health through his longstanding work as an assessor for the Medical Council of NSW’s Health Programme which has a focus on public safety. He has led studies of successful ageing, psychological distress, stigma and barriers to help seeking in doctors, as well as developing an online educational program to enhance retirement planning in late career doctors. He is also an assessor for the Nursing and Midwifery Council of NSW.
He has contributed to governance and management by serving on multiple local and national committees, including those convened by the Medical Board of Australia, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, and NSW Health. He enjoys teaching medical students and junior doctors, and supervising Scholarly Projects in trainee psychiatrists.
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