Private Consultant Psychiatrist in Edinburgh
Dr Peter McCann MBBS, MSC, MRCPsych
Dr Peter McCann MBBS, MSC, MRCPsych
Mental health issues can impact anyone at any stage of life, and managing them alone can feel overwhelming. However, you are not alone. The private psychiatry service provided by consultant psychiatrist Dr Peter McCann is flexible and confidential, and is designed to make expert mental health support more accessible than ever.
Dr McCann and his team, including fellow psychiatrist Dr Malcolm Scobbie, provide assessments, therapy, and medication management for a range of general psychiatric conditions, including substance use disorder, depression, anxiety, PTSD, bipolar disorder, OCD, ADHD and autism, and behavioural addictions. Treatment from both Dr McCann and Dr Scobbie can be accessed in person at Castle Craig in the Scottish Borders, where Dr McCann is the current Medical Director, or is available online from any location in the UK or Europe.
“I take a holistic, biological and cognitive-behavioral approach to mental health. I believe mental health challenges emerge from a combination of factors including biology, genetics, upbringing, psychological tendencies, and environment.” – Dr McCann.
With extensive experience in psychiatric medication, we also explore psycho-education, talking therapy, and lifestyle changes before considering new medications. You’ll be fully involved in decision-making, with clear discussions about options and potential effects.
Dr McCann and his team believe in promoting healthy living and providing education to help you better understand and manage your mental health challenges long-term.
Dr Peter McCann trained at King’s College London, where he earned his medical degree and a Master’s in Neuroscience with Distinction, before completing foundation training at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals.
He went on to complete a Residency in combined Internal Medicine and Psychiatry at Duke University Hospital in North Carolina, serving as Chief Resident in his final year with a specialism in Addiction Psychiatry. That dual training gives him an unusually comprehensive view of how physical and mental health intersect in addiction.
Dr McCann is Medical Director at Castle Craig Hospital. He has previously worked for NHS Lothian, giving him a grounded understanding of the Scottish healthcare system and the patients it serves.
He is registered on the GMC Specialist Register for General Psychiatry, US Board-certified in both General Psychiatry and Internal Medicine, and BUPA registered.
Psychiatrist, Dr Malcolm Scobbie, is available for a psychiatric consultation and an ADHD consultation.
Dr Scobbie holds MRCPsych membership with the Royal College of Psychiatrists and graduated in medicine from the University of Aberdeen.
Dr Scobbie brings broad psychiatric experience spanning addictions, general adult, rehabilitation, and child and adolescent mental health services, gained across the NHS in the UK and in New Zealand. He has a particular interest in neurodevelopmental conditions, including adult ADHD assessment and diagnosis, and has completed formal autism assessment training (ADOS-2 and ADI-R).
He is known for a calm, validating and patient-centred approach, with consistently positive patient feedback on his communication and rapport.
Dr Scobbie has published work, including a book chapter and a forthcoming poster presentation at the International Congress of the Royal College of Psychiatrists. He was named Core Trainee of the Year by the Severn School of Psychiatry in 2022.
We understand that every person who seeks mental health support deserves safe, confidential, and timely treatment that is flexible and uniquely tailored to their needs. Dr McCann and his team are dedicated to providing private outpatient psychiatry services that offer mental health support designed around you and that are structured within National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines.
With the option to see a private psychiatrist online or in person, patients can access specialist care in a way that suits them best. There is no need to have a GP referral to see a private psychiatrist.
A Private Practice Backed by Castle Craig Hospital. Dr McCann’s private psychiatry service is delivered through Castle Craig Hospital Ltd, one of the UK’s most established and respected private mental health and addiction clinics. This means patients benefit from the full clinical infrastructure, governance standards, and administrative support of a leading facility – combined with the personalised care of a one-to-one consultant relationship.
You don’t need to have a formal diagnosis from your GP surgery to speak to a psychiatrist. It may be time to seek help if you are:
Hall SA, Bell RP, Gadde S, Towe SL, Nadeem MT, McCann PS et al. Strengthened and posterior-shifted structural rich-club organization in people who use cocaine. Drug and Alcohol Dependence.
2022; 235:
109436.
Smith CM, Stavig A, McCann P et al., “Let’s Talk About Your Note”: Using Open Notes as an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Based Intervention in Mental Health Care.
Front Psychiatry. 2021;12:704415.
Published 2021 Jul 19. doi:10.3389/ fpsyt.2021.704415.
Smith CM, McCann P, Slauer R, et al. Recreational nitrous oxide and pernicious anemia–associated vitamin B12 deficiency in a patient presenting with sensorimotor polyneuropathy. Prim Care Companion CNS Disord.
2021;23(2):20l02751.
McCann P et al. (2020) A Descriptive Review of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in the Management of Substance Use Disorders.
J Addict Res Ther 11: 392.
Ventura-Cots, M., Watts, A.E., Cruz-Lemini, M., Shah, N.D., Ndugga, N., McCann, P., et al. (2019), Colder Weather and Fewer Sunlight Hours Increase Alcohol Consumption and Alcoholic Cirrhosis Worldwide.
Hepatology, 69: 1916-1930.
Costafreda SG, McCann P et al., Modulation of amygdala response and connectivity in depression by serotonin transporter polymorphism and diagnosis. Journal of Affective disorders.
2013; 150; 96-103.
Peter McCann, Determinants of addiction: neurobiological, behavioural, cognitive and sociocultural factors, Alcohol and Alcoholism, Volume 58, Issue 5, September 2023, Pages 571–572, https://doi.org/10.1093/alcalc/agad039