Dr Friedman qualified in medicine in London and then trained in psychiatry in Oxford and Nottingham and was appointed to his present post in 1990. He has responsibility for psychiatric services to the general hospitals in Leicestershire; this includes psychiatric emergencies and deliberate self harm services.

He manages the complete range of psychiatric services but has particular interests in psychological aspects of physical disease, perinatal mental illness, plastic surgery, childhood sexual abuse and cancer. He is Chair of the Comprehensive Local Research Network and Deputy lead for the Heart of England Mental Health Research Network.