The RA-UK Board 2021
President
Professor Alan Macfarlane is a president of RAUK, a consultant and Honorary Professor at the university of Glasgow. He has published widely on outcomes in regional anaesthesia and lectures internationally. @ajrmacfarlane
President Elect
Dr Nat Haslam is a consultant at City Hospitals, Sunderland. His interests include trauma, block rooms and education. Nat is the president elect for RA-UK, @nathaslam
Honorary Secretary
Dr Maria Sebastian is a consultant at the RNOH in Stanmore. She came to the UK for an RA fellowship and liked it so much she stayed. She is leading the advancement of RA at one of the 4 national orthopaedic centres, and is highly active in teaching and training. Maria deals with membership, elections, minutes and general daily running of the society. @mariapsebastian This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Treasurer
Dr Lloyd Turbitt is a consultant in Belfast. He is leading transformation at his hospital, introducing a streamlined hand service. He co-organised the 2019 RA-UK conference in Belfast. Lloyd is currently the treasurer for RA-UK and is responsible for the finances. @LloydTurbitt
Digital
Dr Simeon West is a consultant at UCLH, his interests include medical device development, interventional trials, and of course regional anaesthesia. Sim writes and updates the website, maintains the course booking and manages the society communications such as the newsletter. @uclhregional This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Other Board Members
Dr Jonathan Womack is a consultant at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, where he leads RA services. He is heavily involved in RA education, a diplomat and now faculty member of the RA MSc, and research, where his interests include cadaveric studies and teaching of technical skills. Jono is the deputy lead of the RA-UK research network, and research lead. He was reelected for a second term in May 2023. @womackjonathan
Dr Athmaja Thottungal is a consultant in anaesthetics and pain management at East Kent Hospitals University NHS Trust. She has interests in ultrasound guided pain management as well as anaesthesia, and has run a well known chronic pain ultrasound course for a number of years. She lectures internationally, and is an well regarded teacher due to her fantastic and wide anatomical knowledge and sonographic skills. @athmathottungal
Dr Jenny Ferry was elected to board in May 2023, She is a consultant anaesthetist at the Aneurin Bevin UHB in South Wales , she is leading the RA-UK international research priority Delphi project, as well as being in the team working on the UK Regional Anaesthesia research priority setting partnership project. She is our lead for equality and diversity @jennythatcanbl1
Dr Nav Bahal was elected to board in May 2023. He is a consultant anaesthetist at Stoke Mandeville in Buckinghamshire. He's the course director of and runs the social media account for @BucksUSGRA which offers free, high-fidelity workshops to anaesthetists of all grades and provides training for teams in Africa and Asia. He is our lead for courses. @navBahal This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Trainee Board Member
Dr Mani Bahra was recently elected as our trainee representative. She is on the North Central School rotation in London and has a special interest in regional. She's particularly keen on ensuring a consistent and equitable approach to teaching regional across the deaneries. @manpreet_bahra
Coopted Board Members
Dr Rachel Kearns is a consultant at Glasgow Royal Infirmary and an Honorary Clinical Associate Professor. She did her MD in fascia iliaca blocks in THR and also has an obstetric interest. She supervises the Univ of Glasgow periop medicine BSc, is a CSO fellow and has been/is involved in over £1.5 million of funding for various projects. She is the lead of the RA-UK Research Network. @rjharrison79
Dr Toby Ashken is a consultant anaesthetist at UCLH. He was a highly productive trainee rep for RA-UK for the last 2 years, and has been coopted to the board to continue work on producing the free webinar series we are running over the next year, and organising RAUK24 in London, he's been actively researching and publishing in the field, and is establishing himself as true enthusiast in RA. @numboblivion
Dr Annabel Pearson is a consultant paediatric anaesthetist in Bristol. She was coopted to the board in May 2023 to become our paediatric anaesthetic lead. She is passionate about promoting regional for paeds, and has recently published on the paediatric Plan A blocks. @AMEPearson