UK Council

The UK Council is the board of directors and the executive committee for the Society.

  • President

    Dave Pilborough

    After completing a degree in Accountancy & Finance and 2 years spent crunching numbers, Dave came late to Radiography. After some personal motivation and a chance reading of an advert in a local paper, Dave studied Radiotherapy & Oncology at Liverpool University and trained at the Royal Preston Hospital. Having been a student rep on two occasions, taking up the role of IR rep seemed a natural step. Dave was IR rep at the Royal Surrey Hospital, before moving to the Midlands and continuing the role at the Royal Derby Hospital where he is now a Treatment Team Leader. As President, Dave leads the SoR and the profession at large, developing the strategic viewpoint in conjunction with UK Council and the Senior Management Team.

  • Immediate Past President and Chair

    Ross McGhee

    Ross graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2009, and took up post at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre where he was elected health and safety representative for the Society. He is currently a senior radiographer at the Lanarkshire Beatson satellite centre employed by NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde. Ross conducted research into workplace stress and became embedded in negotiations at senior levels. This saw him elected as national health & safety representative to Scottish Council. After a three year term he took up the seat of national equality representative and he has acted as vice-chair. He is also a past chairperson of the Delegate Conference Committee and the Health & Safety Forum.

  • President Elect

    Thomas Welton

    Qualified as a diagnostic radiographer, Tom has worked in multiple modalities including CT, MRI and projectional radiography. Currently, Tom is the lead clinical educator at Lancashire Teaching Hospitals, working alongside the undergraduate radiographer programme at Cumbria University. Tom is a certified industrial relations representative, as well as being a union learning rep, and he has successfully supported members through a range of consultations, service redesigns and improvements; work that led to him winning the SoR UK Rep of the Year award in 2018. Known for a passion to patient centred working, Tom is an advocate for radiographer professional development and AHP workforce collaborations.

  • Vice President

    Katie Thompson

    Katie qualified as a Diagnostic Radiographer in 1993 at the Lincolnshire School of Radiography. A couple of years after qualifying, training as a sonographer at Cardiff University Hospitals. Katie has worked in the NHS all of her career, working at Princess Margaret Hospital, The Great Western Hospital, Gloucester Royal and Cheltenham General. Katie really enjoys teaching and has set up training programmes for midwives to perform presentation scans and a gynae and early pregnancy programme for the obs and gynae rotational doctors, for which she was nominated and won the Southwest Deanery trainee of the year. Katie is currently in the process of advancing her practice, which is a very exciting time in her career. Katie became an Industrial Relations rep around 10 years ago, winning Southwest Rep of the Year in 2019, she has experienced the Annual Delegates’ Conference (ADC) several times, including being part of the Delegates Conference Committee (DCC), which is a great way to understand and be involved with the organisation of the ADC. It is also a great way to network, meet and have your say in the work you would like the SCoR to do. Katie became part of the UK Council in 2020 to become more involved in the SCoR organisation and to help promote the Radiography profession and represent the interests of all Society members. It has been a great learning experience, with training covering governance, communication, and investment. Katie was nominated in 2023 by UK Council as a trustee for the CoR.

  • Wales Representative

    Chris Kalinka

    After being the Immediate Past President and Chair of UK Council, Chris has now returned to his duties as a Wales Representative. Chris is a DCR(R) qualified diagnostic radiographer with more than 37 years’ service in the NHS. He has served as a professional head of radiography and as an imaging manager for nearly 20 years. He has managed many Radiographic clinical modalities, including Nuclear Medicine, CT, and Interventional Radiography. Chris has served on many strategic national committees in Wales, such as Medical Imaging Sub-committee and has twice chaired Welsh Radiology Managers Committee. He has recently retired from the NHS and last worked on Imaging Workforce and Education for the NHS Collaborative Strategic Imaging Programme in Wales. Chris feels we need to take advantage of all opportunities such as Artificial intelligence and Advanced Practice. He feels that Imaging managers need to be visible and inspire our radiographic leaders of the future to promote our profession, whilst we provide excellent care for our patients.

  • Wales Representative

    Mark Sherratt

    Mark, a member of the SoR since qualification in 1988, has worked many departments, from small DGHs to large Teaching Hospitals. Starting out as a basic grade Radiographer progressing to become a radiology service manager, he is now back on the shop floor as a senior Radiographer. A member of Welsh Council since 2007, he has attended many Annual Delegate Conferences and was chair of delegate conference committee in 2015. He believes in Radiographer development and feels that by ensuring staff are up-skilled, the impact that shortfalls in numbers can be minimised. Bronglais Hospital (where Mark has worked for the last 16 years) was the first site in Wales to introduce band 5/6 link grade. Today’s Radiographers are subjected to ever increasing workload demands that are becoming more administrative in nature. He strives to ensure Radiography remains a caring and principled profession. Mark has been a member of the Coastguard as a Search and Rescue Officer since 2011, helping rescue people in need and searching for missing persons. He has been involved in dealing with pollution and unexploded bombs.

  • Northern Ireland Representative

    Laura McGirr

    Laura graduated from University of Liverpool in 2010 with a BSc(Hons) in Radiotherapy. She has worked in many departments across the UK in a range of different roles including pre-treatment, treatment delivery and clinical education for pre and post registration learners. She returned home to Northern Ireland to take up the role of Practice Educator within the North West Cancer Centre, Londonderry in 2019. Her passions include the training and development of pre and post registration learners within radiotherapy. This led to her gaining a Post Graduate Certificate for Health Professionals with Distinction from Ulster University in 2021. Laura is an accredited Practice Educator through the CoR Practice Educator Accreditation Scheme (PEAS). She is also an accredited Union Learning Rep which provided a helpful and interest insight to the workings of the SCoR. This interest alongside encouragement from colleagues, led to Laura joining UK council in January 2024 where she hopes to represent the voices of Radiographers from across Northern Ireland, strengthen collaborative working across the UK and promote Radiotherapy.

  • Eastern Representative

    Rachel Nolan

    Rachel is a qualified Radiographer and Sonographer with over 30 years’ experience. During those 30 years she has seen and been involved with many changes in the profession with the introduction of digital technology and Radiographers advanced practice. Rachel is passionate about the profession and positive about looking at ways the profession could evolve to provide a modern patient centred service. Never wishing to shy away from debate on issues she enjoys speaking at conferences to promote the profession and has had the privilege to do so several times. She looks forward to representing members of the Eastern region on UK Council.

  • London Region Representative

    Vas Nevrides

    After working many years in corporate hospitality, Vas started training as a diagnostic radiographer in 2009 with the assistance of the NHS bursary. He trained and worked at King's College Hospital as a rotational radiographer in plain film, cardiac, CT and angiography. In 2013 Vas became the industrial relations rep in the department, a role he carried out until July 2018 when he was elected UK Council member for London. Vas says being a rep is a rewarding and fulfilling role.

  • Midlands Region Representative

    Leah Marsden

    Leah joined the SoR as a student and has remained in it ever since, also becoming an Industrial Relations Representative not long after qualification. Leah had spent several years in a different career and only became a Diagnostic Radiographer after seeing a public transport advertisement explaining the role. Leah eventually worked her way up to advanced practitioner in ultrasound, and the learning and teaching of her modality is a true passion. Building on her research experience, she is also interested in promoting research at the front lines of the profession, as well as radiographer role development. Having worked in different settings including internationally, she returned to the NHS in 2018 and plans to remain there until she retires. A frequent attender of the Annual Delegates’ Conference (ADC), Leah joined UK Council in 2023 and looks forward to continuing to promote the profession.

  • Yorkshire & Nth Trent Region Rep

    Atique Hussain

    Atique is an academic in Diagnostic Radiography from Bradford, UK, he is dedicated to enhancing healthcare through practitioner competence and equity. Graduating in 2017 from Sheffield Hallam University, he started in Projectional Radiography and specialized in CT, obtaining a Postgraduate Certificate in CT. As a clinical mentor, he fosters Radiographer growth. As an Academic at the University of Bradford, Atique pursued postgrad qualifications in MRI and Medical Education, earning Higher Education Academy fellowship. He's a proactive educator, deeply proud of Radiography. Appointed to the UK Council for Yorkshire and North Trent in 2023, he aims to engage under-represented groups.

  • South East Region Representative

    Robin Bickerton

    CT lead radiographer working in Horton hospital Banbury which is part of Oxford University Hospitals NHS Trust. I have been an industrial relation rep for the last 15 years. I am privileged to serve as the Southeast Council Member. I have been involved with the South-East region of the Society of Radiographers since being a first year radiography student. In the past I have been vice chair of staff side which gave me lots experience dealing with policies and negotiations as well as engaging with other unions and management. I've also been involved with The British Society for the History of Radiology for many years and I am very keen to have the work of our profession recognised and remembered for posterity. I have a keen interest in how people with neurodivergent disabilities are treated in society and in the work place as I am severely dyslexic myself. As a band 7 in a DGH I understand the challenges faced by the members of the SoR every day as I face them myself. I have always enjoyed serving my colleagues and the SCoR to the best of my abilities.

  • Scotland Representative

    Susann McCracken

    Susann qualified from Glasgow Caledonian University in 2000 with a BSc(HONS) in Therapeutic Radiography. Since then, she has had the privilege to work in many different departments across the UK and Ireland, with two of those years working in New Zealand. She has also been fortunate to be able to gain experience within all areas of radiotherapy at a senior level, including brachytherapy, planning, pre-treatment, treatment, and management. It is this experience that that has made her passionate about supporting and encouraging all radiographers to have the opportunity to learn and grow and remain passionate about their career. Last year Susann was given the opportunity to become an observer to the UK Council. This gave an insight to how radiographers can be involved on a national and international level, and the opportunity they can have to influence key decisions. As a newly appointed UK Council member in 2023 she looks forward to becoming part of UK Council and representing Scotland.

  • SoR Trustee

    Scotland Representative

    Sharon Stewart

    Term of office to July 2022.