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

MemberPosition
Dr Mike GrovesVice Chair
Dr Renato MerolliVice Chair
Dr Emmeline Lagunes-CordobaAcademic and London Representative
Dr Akvile BezuskieneCAMHS Representative
Dr Andrea PathakEastern Representative
Dr Rebecca PerryEating Disorders Representative
Dr Victoria ZaslonaForensic Representative
Dr Wai NipGeneral Adult Representative
Dr Lenka KaluzovaLiaison Representative
Dr Agnes GrossNeuropsychiatry Representative
Dr Jennifer GilliganNorthern and Yorkshire Representative
Dr Helen McFerranNorthern Ireland Representative
Dr Kathryn NaylorNorth West Representative
Dr Kalpesh SolankiOld Age Representative
Dr Prutha DesaiPerinatal Representative
Dr Nayiri SahakianPrivate and Independent Representative
Dr Karim MusahRehabilitation Representative
Dr Mithun BarikScotland Representative
Dr Abdul OredolaSouth East Representative
Dr Rebecca ThomlinsonTrent Representative
Dr Gathoni KamauWales Chair
Dr Antonino CuratolaWales Vice Chair
Dr Ravinthirakumar SutharshananWest 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