Executive Members
Ross McGuffie
Nature of Appointment
Chief Executive
Biography
Starting his NHS career within health improvement, Ross then moved on to become a locality service manager with responsibility for community health services in NHS Lanarkshire. He then took on the role as Head of Planning, Performance and Quality Assurance for North Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership before being appointed as the Partnership’s Chief Officer in 2018.
Ross has also undertaken a number of key national roles and was recently elected as the Chair of Health and Social Care Scotland, a national network of senior leaders which aims to drive forward improvements in health and wellbeing through increased integration, collaboration and transformation.
Mr Andrew Murray
Nature of Appointment
Medical Director
Biography
Andrew graduated from Glasgow University in 1988 and worked in 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.
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.
Professor Frances Dodd
Nature of Appointment
Director of Nursing
Biography
Prior to joining NHS Forth Valley, Frances Dodd worked with the Scottish Ambulance Service where she was the Director of Care Quality and Professional Development with leadership responsibility for a wide range of areas. These included Person Centred Care, Patient Experience, Clinical Leadership Development, Education and Professional Development, Quality Improvement, Advanced Practice Development, Infection Prevention and Control, Public Protection, Mental Health and Dementia Care.
Frances began her nursing career in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde where she trained as a registered nurse at the Victoria Infirmary and spent the majority of her clinical career within a perioperative environment. She then moved to NHS Lanarkshire where she held a number of Senior Service and Nurse Management roles including Senior Nurse for Medicine and Anaesthetics, Associate Nurse Director for Surgery and Critical Care and Associate Nurse Director for Primary Care before becoming the Director of Nursing for Acute Services.
Dr Graham Foster
Nature of Appointment
Director of Public Health and Strategic Planning
Biography
Dr Graham Foster is an experienced Senior Public Health Consultant with responsibility for Acute Services and Child Health. He is the NHS Board’s Child Health Commissioner, has a Clinical Lead role for the Diabetes MCN and the Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) multi-agency Early Years Collaborative and is also the current Interim Associate Medical Director for Women and Children’s Unit. He is currently a Deputy Faculty Advisor for the Faculty of Public Health and a recent past Chair of the Local BMA Local negotiating Committee.
He has undertaken development in improvement methodologies and been involved in a range of health service improvement projects leading up to the move into the new Forth Valley Royal Hospital.
Scott Urquhart
Nature of Appointment
Director of Finance
Biography
Scott was appointed Director of Finance in May 2018. He is a graduate of Stirling University and a qualified member of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA).
Scott began his career on the NHS graduate finance training scheme in 1995 and has previously held a number of senior finance positions within NHS Forth Valley. Scott also has experience of working overseas in developing financial systems in rural healthcare settings.
As Director of Finance his key responsibilities are to support financial sustainability of the NHS Board and to oversee financial planning and reporting.
Non-Executive Board Members
Ms Neena Mahal MBE DL
Nature of Appointment
Interim Chair
Period of appointment
From: 01/04/2024 – To: 30/09/2025
Biography
Neena has extensive experience of leadership and governance in the NHS as a former Chair of NHS Lanarkshire. Her expertise in corporate governance and strategy development has been gained through her previous non-executive roles on a wide range of Public Bodies, charitable and voluntary sector organisations including the Broadcasting Council for Scotland, National Museums Scotland, BBC Children in Need and The Glasgow Academy. She has also been a Lay Governor at Glasgow Caledonian University and is an independent consultant, trainer and advisor. Neena has a strong background in and understanding of what equality, diversity and inclusion means for leadership and good governance and has supported organisations to build an inclusive and positive culture. She brings a wealth of experience in collaborative leadership and organisational change. In 2014, she was privileged to be commissioned as a Deputy Lieutenant for Lanarkshire and in 2021 was honoured to be awarded an MBE in The Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to healthcare.
Mr Allan Rennie
Nature of Appointment
Vice-Chair
Period of appointment
From: 01/01/2019 – To: 31/12/2026
Biography
Allan lives in Dunblane and worked as a journalist on a variety of newspapers including the Stirling Observer and edited the Sunday Mail and Daily Record. Latterly, he was Managing Director of Media Scotland responsible for two national titles, Business Insider magazine, an events division and 17 regional newspapers. Allan brings a wealth of communication and management knowledge to the role having worked on a diverse portfolio of businesses with a focus on people, performance and partnership.
Allan served on the independent review panel into the police complaints system in Scotland and is an expert member in the Scottish Government’s short life working group on public interest journalism. He is also honorary professor of Media Studies at the University of Stirling. Allan’s roles include vice-chair of Clackmannanshire and Stirling IJB, chair of NHS Forth Valley’s Staff Governance Committee and chair of NHS Forth Valley’s Organ Donation Committee.
Mr Robert Clark
Nature of Appointment
Non-Executive Member, in his capacity as Employee Director.
Period of appointment
From: 01/03/2022 – To: 28/02/26
Biography
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.
Mr Stephen McAllister
Nature of Appointment
Non-Executive Member
Period of appointment
From: 01/01/2019 – 31/12/2026
Biography
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.
Mr Gordon Johnston
Nature of Appointment
Non-Executive Member and Whistleblowing Champion
Period of appointment
From: 01/02/2024 – 31/01/2028
Biography
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.
Mrs Kirstin Cassells
Nature of Appointment
Lead Pharmacist Community Pharmacy, Public Health and Integrated Services and Chair of the Area Clinical Forum
Period of appointment
From: 25/05/2025 – 25/05/2029
Biography
Kirstin graduated from The University of Strathclyde with a Masters of Pharmacy in 2008. She also holds an MSc in Advanced Pharmacy Practice from Robert Gordon University and is qualified as an independent non-medical prescriber.
She joined NHS Forth Valley in 2016 and has experience of working within community pharmacies, community hospitals, care homes and GP practices. Her current role is Lead Pharmacist for NHS Forth Valley’s community pharmacies, public health and integrated health and social care services.
Kirstin is passionate about staff development and healthcare improvement which she combines in her role as a postgraduate tutor with NHS Education for Scotland. She is the current chair of NHS Forth Valley’s Area Pharmaceutical Committee and Area Clinical Forum.
Mr John Stuart MBE
Nature of Appointment
Non-Executive Member
Period of appointment
From: 18/10/2021 – 17/10/2025
Biography
John retired from his post as Chief Nurse within the North Sector of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde in February 2021, after 39 years of service. Having trained and qualified as a nurse in Glasgow Royal Infirmary in 1985 he worked as a Senior Charge within the Medical Receiving Unit before taking up a range of other senior posts across hospitals in NHS Greater Glasgow. Further studies included obtaining a Masters in Nursing and a Post Graduate Diploma in Frontline Leadership and Management and he has a particular interest in all aspects of corporate governance. In 2021, John’s contribution to service was recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list when he was awarded an MBE.
Mr Martin Fairbairn
Nature of Appointment
Non-Executive Member
Period of appointment
From: 07/12/2021 – 06/12/2025
Biography
Martin Fairbairn is a chartered accountant who has spent most of his career working in further and higher education. After five years as an audit manager with Deloitte, he moved into further education as Director of Finance at Stevenson College, Edinburgh, where he successfully established the college’s finance systems and oversaw significant estates and outreach developments. From 2000 until earlier this year, he held several senior roles at Scotland’s national further and higher education funding body, the Scottish Funding Council, latterly as Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Chief Executive. Over his career he has developed particular expertise in strategic development, public sector governance, complex financial management and addressing risk.
Councillor Fiona Collie
Nature of Appointment
Falkirk Council Representative
Period of appointment
From: 16/07/2022 – To: 30/04/2027
Biography
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.
Councillor David Wilson
Nature of Appointment
Stirling Council Representative
Period of appointment
From: 23/09/2024 – To: 30/04/2027
Biography
David is a Scottish Labour councillor, representing Dunblane and Bridge of Allan on Stirling Council since he was elected in August 2024.
David has worked in local government for over 20 years and has a BSc Computing in Business Management. David is a keen road cyclist and hill walker who supports projects for better access and biodiversity in the green spaces in and around Dunblane and Bridge of Allan.
He resides with his family and his three dogs in Stirling.
Councillor Fiona Law
Nature of Appointment
Clackammanshire Council Representative
Period of appointment
From: 24/03/2025 – To: 06/05/2027