Integration Joint Board

Councillor Fiona Collie, Falkirk Council (Chair)

Councillor Fiona Collie is Councillor for the Denny & Banknock ward and is Portfolio Holder for Health & Social Care. Fiona has worked in both paid and volunteer roles within the third sector for most of her career in a wide range of roles including policy development, campaigning, advice and support. She combines her council role with employment with the charity Carers Scotland and volunteer roles.

Stephen McAllister, NHS Forth Valley (Vice Chair)

Stephen is a former senior Police Officer, with extensive experience in leadership, governance and performance management. During his career, Stephen was a Police Hostage and Crisis Negotiator, which allowed him to develop excellent active listening skills and influencing skills. Stephen was the Police Divisional Commander in Forth Valley prior to retiring and as such has a good perspective on the delivery of a unitary service across three local authorities and a firm understanding of the physical and social geography of the area that Forth Valley Health Board covers.

Since leaving Police Scotland, he has built up non-executive board experience in both the voluntary and public sector and as a consultant in mental health improvement and negotiation. Stephen hopes to bring these various strands of his Police career and post police experience to the benefit of Forth Valley Health board and community it serves.

Councillor Anne Hannah, Falkirk Council

Councillor Hannah has extensive experience working in local government, covering Inverclyde, Lothian, City of Edinburgh and now serving as a member for Lower Braes.

Holding a degree in Social Policy from Edinburgh University and a Diploma in Legal Studies from Edinburgh Napier University, Anne has a career working in Welfare Rights, working to support older people, those living with a disability, and families to access support.

Her experience covers both professional and personal, having also provided support for family members – providing a service user’s view of the health, social care, and welfare landscape.

Councillor Jim Flynn, Falkirk Council

Councillor Jim Flynn, elected Member for the Carse, Kinnaird and Tryst Ward, has been a Councillor for almost 6 years. Prior elected office, he has worked in various roles within the pharmaceutical industry,  working with health boards, hospitals, GP practices and with healthcare professionals across Scotland.

His experience has provided an operational view across many areas including urology, gynaecology, paediatrics, endocrinology, radiology and many other therapy areas. Jim has also worked with Community Health Partnerships developing cost effective prescribing reviews and providing support to GP Practices.

In the third sector Jim volunteered as Young Befriender for over 10 years with Central Carers Trust and served as a Board Member of Carers Trust for around 5 years.

Gordon Johnston, NHS Forth Valley

Gordon has held senior roles in the public and voluntary sectors in areas including community development, managing a local community engagement organisation, and co ordinating the distribution of National Lottery and European funding. He is now active in many third sector mental health organisations in Scotland, has considerable leadership and governance experience and is currently chair of Bipolar Scotland and a public partner with Healthcare Improvement Scotland. He also carries out paid consultancy work, mainly in peer research, patient engagement, community development and organisational development. Gordon was appointed as a Board member of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland in April 2017 and chairs its Audit, Risk and Information Governance Committee. In 2019 he became a member of the Mental Health Strategic Delivery Board, established and chaired by the Minister for Mental Health.

Dr Michele McClung, NHS Forth Valley

Michele McClung is a Non-Executive Board Member for NHS Forth Valley and has over 20 years of public sector experience in a policy and research environment. She has worked in both Stirling Council and Falkirk Council and is now employed by Education Services within Glasgow City Council, where she leads a team providing strategic support to the Directorate.

Michele has been a member of Falkirk and Central Scotland Samaritans and is a member of the national board of Trustees which is responsible for the governance of all Samaritan branches throughout the UK and Republic of Ireland.

Michele’s key areas of interest include mental health, poverty and inequality.

Patricia Cassidy, Chief Officer

Patricia originally trained as a nurse and has worked with a number of health boards in a variety of roles including health education and health promotion. She was also a visiting specialist lecturer in health studies and community nursing at Glasgow Caledonian University and has worked in a number of national roles with sportsscotland, the Scottish Consumer Council and the Health Education Board for Scotland.

After joining Aberdeen City Council in 2010, Patricia worked in a number of senior positions before moving to Inverclyde Council in 2014 where she was Corporate Director for Education, Communities and Organisational Development.

Steven Kirkwood, Chief Finance Officer

Steven joined Falkirk IJB in 2022 as Chief Finance Officer, coming from NHS Forth Valley where he supported Primary Care and community healthcare services.as a Senior Finance Manager.

Joining NHS Forth Valley in 2007, Steven has nearly 15 years’ experience in healthcare finance. Prior to that, he worked for nearly 20 years in local government across several Scottish local authorities.  He graduated from Heriot-Watt University in 1988 and gained full membership of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy in 1993.

Steven has a passion for the public sector and ensuring the services we deliver to our communities are fit for purpose, efficient and effective, removing duplication and eliminating waste.

Kenneth Lawrie, Chief Executive, Falkirk Council

Kenneth Lawrie was recently appointed as Falkirk Council’s new Chief Executive and took up his role at the beginning of August.

Kenneth joined local government in 1994 and since then has held various positions at Dartford Borough Council and Scottish Borders Council, taking up the position as Chief Executive with Midlothian Council in September 2009.

Cathie Cowan, Chief Executive, NHS Forth Valley

Cathie originally trained as a nurse at the Southern General Hospital in Glasgow in the 1980s and worked in a variety of nursing roles before moving to Perth in 1990, initially to take up post as a Clinical Nurse Manager at Perth Royal Infirmary and later as Clinical Services and Business Manager for the former Perth and Kinross NHS Trust. In 1995, she was appointed Director of Nursing, Patient Services and Planning for Kirkcaldy NHS Trust and then Director of Service Development and Capacity Planning for the Fife NHS Board.

Cathie returned to Glasgow in 2005 to take up post as the Director for the new South East Glasgow Community Health and Care Partnership before moving to Orkney in 2010 as the Chief Executive of NHS Orkney, Cathie also worked at this time as Executive Director at Orkney Islands Council and lead the integration of health and social care services before the appointment of Orkney’s Chief Officer.

Cathie has an MSc in Leadership (Quality Improvement), is a GenerationQ Fellow and a member of the Q Community, whose mission is to foster continuous and sustainable improvement in health and care.

Sara Lacey, Chief Social Work Officer

Sara Lacey is Head of Social Work Children’s Services and Chief Social Work Officer for Falkirk Council. Sara has worked in social care for 25 years and has been a qualified social worker since 1996. She has worked in a variety of practice and leadership roles within the local authority, third and independent sectors. Over the course of her career Sara has worked predominantly within children and families services; starting her management experience in a statutory support and protection team before moving on to provide preventative family support. Prior to coming to Falkirk Council Sara was the Managing Director of a national residential child care organisation and spent time overseas developing home based nursing services for people with critical health issues and at end of life. Sara’s current role as Head of Service includes responsibility for Criminal Justice Services. As Chief Social Work Officer Sara is a non-voting member of the IJB and a member of the Clinical and Care Governance Group.

Andrew Murray, Medical Director, NHS Forth Valley

Andrew is a founding member of the Faculty of Medical Leadership and Management and has led the redesign of a wide range of medical services. He has also developed and implemented new models of care across community and acute hospitals.

He graduated from Glasgow University in 1988 and worked in both Scotland and New Zealand until 2001, when he moved to NHS Ayrshire and Arran as a Consultant ENT surgeon, Clinical Director, Associate Medical Director and then Medical Director with NHS Borders before taking his current post of Medical Director at NHS Forth Valley.

Professor Frances Dodd, Nursing, Midwifery and AHP Representative

Frances is the Executive Nurse Director for NHS Forth Valley, professionally leading and supporting nursing, midwifery and AHP staff across the local area. Bringing extensive experience in pre-hospital, acute, and primary care services, Frances’s nursing career began at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s Victoria Infirmary, she then held a range of senior management and professional leadership roles with NHS Lanarkshire and the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Dr David Herron, GP Clinical Lead, Falkirk HSCP

David graduated from Manchester in 2002 and has been a GP Partner in a practice in Polmont since 2006. He is also involved in training medical students and GP Trainees and arranging educational events for GPs across Forth Valley. David chair’s NHS Forth Valley’s GP Subcommittee which provides advice on a wide range of issues affecting General Practice.

Robert Clark, NHS Forth Valley

Robert began his career in NHS Forth Valley in 1985 working as a relief Plaster Technician and then moved to Theatres as a Theatre Orderly. He then undertook the Operating Department Practitioner course, qualified in 1989, and has worked in Theatres since then.

He has been involved in the Trade Union movement since 1985 and became a Unison steward in 1990. He has also served as Branch Secretary for the Stirling Royal Infirmary and latterly the Forth Valley Health branches of Unison.

Robert is a passionate believer in Partnership Working, fairness and equality and has served on NHS Forth Valley’s Acute Service’s Partnership Forum and the Area Partnership Forum for many years.

He is a strong supporter of the NHS and is committed to doing all he can to preserve this great institution to ensure it can continue to provide care to all, regardless of their income or social background.

Roger Ridley, Falkirk Council

Roger is the union representative from Falkirk Council on the committee. Roger has worked in social work for thirty five years. Working in children and families social work as a social worker and manager most of that time but moving to adults services as a mental health officer over the last few years.

Thus, Roger feels the values that brought him in to social work all those years ago still motivate him both in his work with Unison but also his role as representative on the board, trying to see individuals and communities holistically

Margo Biggs, Service user representative

Margo has lived in Falkirk for over 40 years and has represented public and patient interests through a range of boards and panels. With a professional background in Modern Studies, Margo has taught the subject and tackled national and internal issues. In addition, she has taught life skills courses to pupils, who previously lack motivation and success in the community.

Locally, Margo has experience of taking part in the local health council for Forth Valley, the Public Patient Panel for local hospitals, the Royal College of General Practitioners ‘P3’ patient group, and as a lay reviewer visiting GP practices.

She has been a public partner with Health Improvement Scotland for many years doing hospital visits, latterly as an HEI Inspector and a member of SIGN (Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network) contributing to Patient Versions of Guidelines.

Margo passionately believes in equality for patients and carers and involving patients in decisions about their treatment and care and being communicated with in the provision of information and being consulted and fed back to on what they contribute.

Carol Ann Harrower, Carers representative

Carol Ann provides care for her daughter, who was diagnosed with Autism

Spectrum Disorder in 2021, and has had first-hand experience of the impact of Alzheimer’s upon family life through her mother-in-law’s diagnosis.

In her professional life, Carol Ann works as a HR Manager for a Scottish charity, and hopes her personal and work experience will be beneficial in her new role on the Board.

Ian Dickson, Third sector representative

Appointed CEO of Falkirk’s Mental Health Association (FDAMH) in 2021, Ian also represents the third sector on the Falkirk Community Planning Partnership’s mental health group.

FDAMH is an independent charity providing bespoke one-to-one and group mental health and wellbeing support to people in the Falkirk and District Community.

In his previous role as Operations Manager, he played an integral part in ensuring community services remained available throughout the pandemic.

Victoria McRae, Third sector representative

Appointed as CEO of CVS Falkirk at the end of 2020, Victoria has extensive experience in both the private and third sector, working with the organisation since 2010.

CVS Falkirk & District is the third sector interface for the Falkirk area, with a primary role in ensuring the continuation and development of a vibrant local third sector.

Victoria and the CVS team support local partners in creating change and making a lasting, valued, difference to the communities of Falkirk.

Gail Woodcock, Head of Integration

Gail has over 28 years’ experience working within local authority, community, and health and social care settings. She joins the Partnership from adult social care provider Bon Accord Care, where she had overall responsibility for the delivery of services as Interim Managing Director. Her career also spans significant roles at Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeen City Health and Social Care Partnership. Gail is a former chair of the Health and Social Care Scotland Strategic Commissioning Group. She has expertise in managing transformation projects, having established locality working within Aberdeen City and implemented improvement plans covering primary care, mental health, and digital services.

Martin Thom, Head of Integration

Martin has a strong commitment to working in partnership with NHS, voluntary and private sector partners. For over twenty years, he has worked as a practitioner and manager within Social Work and Social Care. His experience spans a range of services covering residential care for adults with learning disabilities, support for people affected by alcohol-related brain injury, criminal justice social work services, and offenders with problem drug use. Prior to joining Falkirk, Martin has held senior roles at Fife Council as Head of Older People Services and for Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council, where he was appointed Head of Community Care – Partnerships.

Andrew Murray

Anne Hannah

Carol Ann Harrower

Cathie Cowan

David Herron

Fiona Collie

Frances Dodd 

Gordon Johnstone

Ian Dickson

Jim Flynn 

Kenneth Lawrie

Margo Biggs

Michele McClung

Patricia Cassidy

Robert Clark

Roger Ridley

Sara Lacey

Stephen McAllister

Steven Kirkwood

Victoria McRae