IST Adviser Biographies
Ali Hassas is an Associate Dean as well as working as a GP partner, trainer, supervisor, appraiser and senior postgraduate educator. He has experience in supporting, training and developing doctors and dentists at all stages of seniority. He is a former Training Programme Director and also led the International GP Training programme in London, helping doctors from abroad to make the transition to UK clinical practice. Ali is an Institute of Leadership Management Executive Coach with additional training in Systemic and Narrative practice. He works as a Coach in the Professional Support Unit Coaching & Careers service and has a particular interest in helping trainees navigate complex dilemmas, conflict, ‘stuckness’ and any career or leadership challenges.
David Mendel has been an Associate Dean working in professional support since 2009 and became Head of the Professional Development Team in 2019. He continues to work as a GP Principal, and Trainer of less than full time GP trainees. He was PEC Chair for Hounslow PCT from 2002-05 and Educational Lead for Harmoni GP OOH Service from 2005-09. He has an MA in Clinical Education and is interested in Medical Education & Communication Skills.
Diana Kelly is an educationalist with over twenty five years experience in the education of healthcare professionals. She works part-time as a freelance medical educator, evaluator and facilitator; this includes providing training and consultancy for NHS healthcare trusts. She is an accredited facilitator for Conversations Inviting Change, an approach used for healthcare consultations as well as supervision and team facilitation. Previously she was, for several years, employed as Education Advisor at Kings College London School of Medicine where her primary role was to support clinical teachers across the large network of teaching campuses aligned to KCL. She is a volunteer with King’s global health and health partnerships. Diana has an MSc in Medical Education and a PGCE teaching qualification; her background is in community development and adult education.
Jacqueline MacDonald-Davis is a qualified teacher and a trained Careers Education and Guidance specialist and has worked in higher education as a lecturer, a consultant and as Head of Staff and Organisational Development at University College London, Institute of Education. Jacqueline is a trained mentor, coach, and mediator as well as a Myers Briggs assessor. She is the author of several articles and publications. Jacqueline coordinated and oversaw the editing of HEE’s Differential Attainment (DA) Toolkit and the E-Learning, Support and Self-Review Modules. Her passion is to empower individuals to take the ‘next step’ in their personal and professional development. Jacqueline co-ordinated the development of the resources in the KSS Differential Attainment Project and is a member of the London DA Strategy Group.
Penelope Toff qualified in Medicine and Psychology and worked in a number of medical specialties, as well as in higher education and Art Psychotherapy, before training, working and teaching as a Consultant in Public Health Medicine. She was Associate Dean and Director of HEE Thames Valley Professional Support Unit (PSU) and has since worked as a Coach and Careers Advisor and for the Individual Support Team (IST) in HEE London and South East PSU. Penny is also a Rapid Transformational Therapist (a blend of hypnotherapy, psychotherapy and CBT) and specialises in freeing people from issues related to confidence, anxiety, depression and life purpose. Penny has served in various roles at the BMA and is currently an elected member of the UK Council, Public Health Medicine, Occupational Medicine and Medical Ethics Committees and is a trustee and local member of the Faculty of Public Health Board. Her passion is for empowering individuals and enabling them to achieve their full potential and to support doctors and other health care professionals at all stages of their careers.
Rosalind Ramsay is a general adult Consultant Psychiatrist and Deputy Medical Director at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. She was a founder member and former Chair of the Women in Psychiatry Special Interest Group at the Royal College of Psychiatrists. She has also been part of the executive team at Medical Women’s Federation. Rosalind has the Institute of Leadership Management Certificate in Executive Coaching and is a member of the Faculty of Medical Coaches. She has been a doctor advisor for the Psychiatrists Support Service, worked as a Lead Assessor for the National Clinical Assessment Service and has recently been appointed as a GMC health examiner and medical supervisor. She is interested in quality improvement, recovery in mental health and medical workforce development.
Ruth Ruggles is an Associate Dean and a Consultant in Public Health. She has worked for a number of years to support individual trainees in public health and other specialties, including epidemiologists, scientists and others in their training and professional development, and in the development of their supervisors and teachers. She is the lead for the Supported Return to Training Programme (SuppoRTT) in London and KSS. Ruth has a Masters in Clinical Education, is a former Public Health Training Programme Director, and was a GP in South London before training in public health.
Serena North is a retired GP Principal, Trainer and Appraiser who has worked in medical and dental adult education for many years. She is trained as an Institute of Leadership Management coach and has coached senior trainees and young consultants at critical points in their careers. She runs courses on supervision skills, consultation skills and communication skills and has taught colleagues to facilitate a particular approach to professional conversations called ‘Conversations inviting Change’. Serena is a freelance tutor on the Surgical Medical Education course for Imperial College and is currently helping to develop multi-professional learning groups in the South of England.
Therese Shaw was an NHS Consultant Old Age Psychiatrist, having changed career from anaesthetics early on in training. She is an Institute of Leadership Management Executive Coach and previously worked as part of the London Deanery coaching team. She has had various educational roles with psychiatric and GP trainees over her career and worked both full-time and part-time in her consultant role.