SAS Psychiatrists Committee
The SAS Psychiatrists Committee supports Specialty and Specialist psychiatrists; both those with MRCPsych and those in the Affiliate membership grades.
I am a Specialist in Rehabilitation Psychiatry in Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and a Fellow of the Royal College.
I graduated from Southampton University in 1997 and have worked as a SAS Doctor since 2004.
I have been privileged to work in leadership roles in clinical settings, education (as associate Director of Medical Education for Dorset Healthcare) and on behalf of SAS Doctors. I was SAS lead for Southern Health Foundation Trust for many years and oversaw the development of both clinical and leadership opportunities for our doctors.
As Vice Chair, my roles include being a member of the International Congress Advisory Board and I'm currently part of the group considering the next steps for the College's guidance on Continuing Professional Development.
I have a passion for empowering us as SAS doctors to fulfill our potential and promoting our essential voice within the College.
I am a proud Associate Specialist in general Adult Psychiatry at Humber Teaching NHS Foundation Trust. Additionally, I have been the SAS Tutor for the Trust since 2015, post which I am stepping down from given my other commitments. I have been recently appointed as Associate Director of Clinical Studies for the Trust, working closely with the local Hull York Medical School (HYMS) to deliver undergraduate teaching in psychiatry, after being Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer for HYMS for 10 years. I have also been the SAS doctor representative at the College's Northern and Yorkshire Division since 2013, and as such, I am a member of the RCPsych SAS Psychiatrists Committee.
I graduated from medical school at the Federal University of Parana, in Curitiba, Brazil, in 1988, where I trained and worked as a psychiatrist until 1996, when I relocated to the UK. I was then a trainee at the East Riding Scheme, where I worked as Staff Grade for six years after leaving my training. I acted up as a Locum Consultant in Hull for four years, where I have been an Associate Specialist for the last eight years. Lately, I have been the psychiatrist lead at the Home-Based Treatment Team for Hull and East Yorkshire, since its inception three years ago.
I am as passionate about medical education as I am for the progression of doctors within the SAS grade as a valued and rewarding career option. As such, I took interest in leadership and management, as a personal, and also as a grade, development, taking up opportunities for it such as the role of chairing clinical networks within the Trust, being an active SAS lead at the Local (and consequently a regional representative) Negotiating Committee, as well as the already mentioned posts.
Apart from all the above work commitments, I am a keen footballer which not only helps to keep any eventual stress at bay, but gave me the opportunity to get involved in managing a football team for mental health service users that take part in the regional FA-sponsored inclusion league, and led me to be a member of the Sport and Exercise Psychiatry Special Interest Group.
Current SAS Psychiatrists Committee members
| Member | Position |
|---|---|
| Dr Mike Groves | Vice Chair |
| Dr Renato Merolli | Vice Chair |
| Dr Emmeline Lagunes-Cordoba | Academic and London Representative |
| Dr Akvile Bezuskiene | CAMHS Representative |
| Dr Andrea Pathak | Eastern Representative |
| Dr Rebecca Perry | Eating Disorders Representative |
| Dr Victoria Zaslona | Forensic Representative |
| Dr Wai Nip | General Adult Representative |
| Dr Lenka Kaluzova | Liaison Representative |
| Dr Agnes Gross | Neuropsychiatry Representative |
| Dr Jennifer Gilligan | Northern and Yorkshire Representative |
| Dr Helen McFerran | Northern Ireland Representative |
| Dr Kathryn Naylor | North West Representative |
| Dr Kalpesh Solanki | Old Age Representative |
| Dr Prutha Desai | Perinatal Representative |
| Dr Nayiri Sahakian | Private and Independent Representative |
| Dr Karim Musah | Rehabilitation Representative |
| Dr Mithun Barik | Scotland Representative |
| Dr Abdul Oredola | South East Representative |
| Dr Rebecca Thomlinson | Trent Representative |
| Dr Gathoni Kamau | Wales Chair |
| Dr Antonino Curatola | Wales Vice Chair |
| Dr Ravinthirakumar Sutharshanan | West Midlands Representative |
Join the committee
Please send your applications (Expression of Interest and CV) for current vacancies to SASPsychiatrists@rcpsych.ac.uk
Current vacancies
- SAS Psychiatrists Committee Chair (closing 31/07/2026)
- Medical Psychotherapy Faculty Representative
- South West Division Representative
- Private and Independent Representative
eNewsletters
The SAS Psychiatrists Committee releases quarterly eNewsletters which highlight resources and opportunities for SAS doctors, important updates and events, and exceptional SAS achievements.
Please find links to the recent editions below:
- SAS Psychiatrists eNewsletter 7th Edition – July 2026
- SAS Psychiatrists eNewsletter 6th Edition – March 2026
- SAS Psychiatrists eNewsletter 5th Edition – December 2025
- SAS Psychiatrists eNewsletter 4th Edition – September 2025
- SAS Psychiatrists eNewsletter 3rd Edition – June 2025
- SAS Psychiatrists eNewsletter 2nd Edition – March 2025
- SAS Psychiatrists eNewsletter 1st Edition – December 2024