MB ChB Leeds 1943, MD 1952; DPM Eng 1947; FRCPsych 1971.
Silverman was born in Leeds on 16 January 1920, and was educated in Leeds. Silverman held junior appointments in Rotherham, Birkenhead and at Scalebor Park Hospital, near Leeds. He served in the RAMC as army psychiatrist from 1947 to 1949. He was then senior registrar to the psychiatric unit at St Clement's Hospital, London, and assistant psychiatrist to Claybury Hospital, Essex. In 1953, Silverman was appointed consultant psychiatrist to Blackburn Group of Hospital, a position he held for many years. He published a number of papers on psychiatric care in hospitals. He was a member of Manchester Medical Society and was chairman of the Manchester Regional Psychiatric Association. Silverman was also member of a number of advisory committees; he was a member of the Mental Health Advisory Committee, and acted as advisor for the Royal College of Psychiatry.