Directors
Member Directors
Joyce Mouriki
I am a service user. I brought up two girls in Greece where I had lived for twenty years and where I had first became ill. I subsequently returned to Scotland eleven years ago now and still receive services in Lanarkshire where I am the Vice Chair of the local service user and carer organisation which I helped to co-found and has been in existence for over ten years. I am the Chairperson of Voices Of eXperience and helped found that organisation, being first on the interim management committee, and now on the board of directors. I am employed in Patient and Public Involvement with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and I have been engaged in involving service users, informal carers and voluntary organisations in the mental health work programme. More recently, as well as leading on mental health involvement, I have taken on the role in promoting patient and public involvement in the wider work of the NHS in Scotland. I also sit as a general member of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland.I have personal life experience of mental health problems.
I am a service user. I brought up two girls in Greece where I had lived for twenty years and where I had first became ill. I subsequently returned to Scotland eleven years ago now and still receive services in Lanarkshire where I am the Vice Chair of the local service user and carer organisation which I helped to co-found and has been in existence for over ten years. I am the Chairperson of Voices Of eXperience and helped found that organisation, being first on the interim management committee, and now on the board of directors. I am employed in Patient and Public Involvement with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland and I have been engaged in involving service users, informal carers and voluntary organisations in the mental health work programme. More recently, as well as leading on mental health involvement, I have taken on the role in promoting patient and public involvement in the wider work of the NHS in Scotland. I also sit as a general member of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland.I have personal life experience of mental health problems.
Francis Fallan
My background was initially in mining as I left school and went to the traditional job alongside my father in the coal industry, however in the 1960`s the coal fields in Scotland were quickly closing, and I choose to take up training to become a Psychiatric Nurse, so my career started in 1963 at 18 years of age when I became a student nurse. After having to retire from the NHS as a Senior Staff Nurse after 30 years on health grounds and recovered sufficiently after some 5 years, I was invited by the late John Miller to become involved in the Mental Health service/user carer involvement process in 1995. I am a member of various voluntary organisations including, The Volunteer Centre North Lanarkshire, North Lanarkshire Partnership Board, NHS Lanarkshire Mental Health Service Improvement Board, Local Advisory member to Lanarkshire Area, Scottish Health Council, member of the Service Users/Carer Group of the Mental Health Tribunal Appeals Service, Scotland, representing VOX members, Chair of North Lanarkshire Disability Forum., Chair of Greater Shotts Healthy Living Centre. I was awarded with the UN International Volunteer of the Year Award in 2001 by the then Scottish First Minister Jack McConnell MSP, and represented my local constituency of Airdrie & Shotts as the elected local hero at the opening of the Scottish Parliament in 2004.
Dougie Pickering
I have participated in all of the training which has been provided to board members. I believe that service users of Mental Health Services must have a strong and loud voice to ensure that services provided are effective, least restrictive and as comprehensive as possible. I was active within Ayrshire and Arran and presently sit on the service user group in the Mind Your Health project reviewing mental health services, and also represented this group on the Programme Board. I am the chairperson of Morven Day Services User Committee and a member of the Panel of Reference (service user and carer group). I am also a member of the East Ayrshire Public Partnership Forum, with my main interest being mental health. I have experience of chairing and actively participating in the groups mentioned and feel passionate enough to speak out about issues around Mental Health. I have been a board member of VOX since its official existence and now occupy the office of Secretary.
I have participated in all of the training which has been provided to board members. I believe that service users of Mental Health Services must have a strong and loud voice to ensure that services provided are effective, least restrictive and as comprehensive as possible. I was active within Ayrshire and Arran and presently sit on the service user group in the Mind Your Health project reviewing mental health services, and also represented this group on the Programme Board. I am the chairperson of Morven Day Services User Committee and a member of the Panel of Reference (service user and carer group). I am also a member of the East Ayrshire Public Partnership Forum, with my main interest being mental health. I have experience of chairing and actively participating in the groups mentioned and feel passionate enough to speak out about issues around Mental Health. I have been a board member of VOX since its official existence and now occupy the office of Secretary.
Gordon Johnston
Chair of the Board of Directors of Bipolar Scotland, Chair of Men's Health Forum Scotland. Gordon Johnston is 46 and the Treasurer for VOX. Gordon has worked in the public and voluntary sectors, including managing a community development organisation, co-ordinating National Lottery and European funding and working in several urban regeneration initiatives in Glasgow. Gordon was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2007, has been active in mental health organisations since and is currently the Chair of Bipolar Scotland. Gordon is a keen writer and is working on a series of psychological thrillers as well as being a frequent blogger and is Editor Scotland for a national music website. Gordon occupies the office of Treasurer.
Colin Murchie
I have personal life experience of mental health problems. and have been involved in the board training sessions, and the two sub-groups.I have the essential skills and knowledge to enable me to further assist in the development of VOX. In addition and as well as reading economics at University, I am a Qualified Accountant.
I have personal life experience of mental health problems. and have been involved in the board training sessions, and the two sub-groups.I have the essential skills and knowledge to enable me to further assist in the development of VOX. In addition and as well as reading economics at University, I am a Qualified Accountant.
Pamela Shanks
I am currently a Director with VOX and have been for over one year I have attended a number of different conferences and events during that time. I have a BA in Applied Consumer Studies and also SNC In Hotel Reception and SNC in Business Studies recently I was an Open University student I undertook two years of BSC in Psychology I currently work from my own home as a Telesales Advisor within the renewable energy sector for an independent company in a self-employed role which is really good as I decide when I shall work this allows me 100% flexibility to arrange other events in my diary I have been an active member of Support In Mind in the East Kilbride branch of the NSF as a fund raising officer. In the past on many a time I was a sectioned patient in hospital ranging from Harthill to Hairmyres I consider these events to be in the past and with help from my consultant and CPN others and self I have not been in hospital for over 6 years. I am the youngest member of my family and there is no background of mental health problems in my family. I have a keen interest in people and like to help others gain knowledge of mental health matters which give them more entitlement to their treatment which I consider to be important in their route to recovery from mental health illness.
John Sawkins
I previously worked with Highland Users Group (HUG) and Advocacy Highland. I have had my recovery story published with Scottish recovery Network (SRN) and contributed to See Me anti-stigma campaigns as a media volunteer. I recently contributed to the judging of the See Me Writing Competition. Now that I am living in Aberdeen, I participate in the RGU social science service user meetings. As a diagnosed bipolar, I have participated in studies conducted by the University of Melbourne, as well as a joint study by Cardiff and Birmingham Universities. I attend, on behalf of VOX, as a service user representative, meetings organised by the Royal College of Psychiatrists both in Edinburgh and London, and this allows me, along with my colleagues, to raise important issues brought up by our members. I have spoken at meetings in Edinburgh, Aberdeen and St Andrews on mental health issues.
Dr. Siddhartha Das Varma
Dr. Siddhartha was born in India in 1957 and has a Masters + Phd. in ancient history. He was a teacher in India for many years and was involved in raising mental health awareness. He came to Scotland in 1990 and has a lived experience of mental illness and has been involved with Health in Mind in Edinburgh for the last 18 years. He has been a Director of VOX since June 2010
Non Member Directors (Advisors to the Board)
Richard Norris
I am the Director of the Scottish Health Council, which was established in 2005 to help improve the way that people are involved in decisions about health services and care and treatment. As well as being a champion for patient and public involvement in NHS Scotland, the Scottish Health Council monitors local NHS Boards to ensure they are working with, and listening to, people in their community. Previously, I was Director of Policy at the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH), where I was in charge of policy analysis, campaigns, information, and research. Prior to this in the mid 90s I was the Chief Executive at the Centre for Scottish Public Policy (formerly the John Wheatley Centre), an independent centre for policy development, based in Edinburgh, which amongst other things organised seminars and produced publications looking ahead at the policy priorities for a future devolved Scottish Parliament, and Scotland’s relationship with the European Union. I have also in the past worked in the printing and insurance industries. I also have a BA (Hons) in Politics and Government, and I am married with two daughters and live in Glasgow.
Alex Davidson
Joint Improvement Team Associate. Previously Head of Adult Services in South Lanarkshire Council Social Work Services and Area Manager in Easterhouse, Glasgow, and Motherwell. Currently working with JIT colleagues on Partnership and Integrated working, Capacity Planning for Older Peoples Services, Learning Disability, and Acquired Brain Injury in different NHS Board and Local Authority areas. Working on the Care at Home component of Reshaping Older Peoples Care for JIT. Consultant to the Self Directed Support Pilots run by the Scottish Government in Highland, Glasgow, and Dumfries and Galloway. Board member of Key Housing Association, PAMIS (in partnership with people with profound learning disabilities and their carers), VOX (Voices of Experience), mental health service users for Scotland), and Chair of the Scottish Muscle Network (a managed clinical network for neuro-muscular disease in Scotland). Independent Chair of Adult Protection Committees in Perth and Kinross and West Lothian.
Alex Davidson
Joint Improvement Team Associate. Previously Head of Adult Services in South Lanarkshire Council Social Work Services and Area Manager in Easterhouse, Glasgow, and Motherwell. Currently working with JIT colleagues on Partnership and Integrated working, Capacity Planning for Older Peoples Services, Learning Disability, and Acquired Brain Injury in different NHS Board and Local Authority areas. Working on the Care at Home component of Reshaping Older Peoples Care for JIT. Consultant to the Self Directed Support Pilots run by the Scottish Government in Highland, Glasgow, and Dumfries and Galloway. Board member of Key Housing Association, PAMIS (in partnership with people with profound learning disabilities and their carers), VOX (Voices of Experience), mental health service users for Scotland), and Chair of the Scottish Muscle Network (a managed clinical network for neuro-muscular disease in Scotland). Independent Chair of Adult Protection Committees in Perth and Kinross and West Lothian.
Dr. Alison Thom
I currently work as a consultant in adult general psychiatry and have been based in hairmyres for 13 years. Previously a Falkirk bairn I think I have almost picked up the Lanarkshire way of doing things.
Naturally curious, I was always interested in how things work and if not a medic I would have been a chemical engineer or teacher. Married with 4 children, life is pretty busy and I have a wide range of interests from the history of psychiatry, to improving systems and quality, to training and education, but always to promote psychiatry as a worthwhile specialty. Much has changed since I started psychiatry, and some of my stories the juniors think I belong to a different era, but I am hopeful that this experience good and bad will be useful in shaping future services and continuing to keep safe the most vulnerable in our society. It’s a great privilege to be part of the user organization and I hope I can work to support the changes that are required for mental health to be everyone’s priority and to help shape a fair and recovery focused strategy for the future.