Meet the UKFPO leads

The UKFPO leads support the recruitment to and the development and delivery of the Foundation Programme across the four nations of the UK.

Dr Mike Masding

Co-chair of UK Foundation Programme Board, Lead Foundation School Director for England

Dr Mike Masding is co-chair of the UK Foundation Programme Office and the Lead Foundation School Director in England. He has previously been Head of Wessex Foundation School, and Foundation Programme Training Director and Director of Medical Education at the trust where he does his clinical work. The subject of his MA(Ed) dissertation at the University of Winchester in 2010 was workplace supervision of foundation doctors. He also continues his clinical work as a Consultant Physician & Diabetologist on the south coast, and in what’s left of the week spends time with his family, cycles as much as possible and continues to be senior crowd doctor at AFC Bournemouth.

Dr Tom Lawson

Co-chair of UK Foundation Programme Board, Lead Dean for Wales

Tom Lawson is Co-Chair of the UKFPO Board, and represents Wales on the UK Foundation Programme Board. He is Lead Dean for Foundation Training in Wales, and interim Deputy Postgraduate Dean for Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW).

Tom is also a Rheumatologist at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board and has extensive experience in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education.

He chairs standard setting groups for Cardiff University Medical School and for the Royal College of Physicians Rheumatology SCE. 

He is a PACES examiner and regional adviser for training for RCP Wales.

Professor Alan Denison

Lead Dean for Scotland

Professor Alan Denison is Dean of Postgraduate Medicine, NHS Education for Scotland (NES). A graduate of Aberdeen University (1996), he trained in Clinical Radiology and works clinically in NHS Grampian Nuclear Medicine and Radiology. Following 15 years in undergraduate medical education, including as a MBChB degree programme lead, he joined NES in 2019. Alan’s UK current responsibilities include oversight of Academic Training, and approvals of postgraduate curricula. In Scotland, his responsibilities include oversight of Foundation, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Radiology and Pathology Training, University Liaison, Medical Additional Costs of Teaching, and Forensic Medical Examiner training. He is a council member of the Academy of Medical Educators and a GMC Education Associate. He plays the accordion poorly and runs half marathons slowly, but enjoys both. 

Dr Camille Harron

Postgraduate Dean for Northern Ireland & Lead for Northern Ireland

Dr Camille Harron is NIMDTA Postgraduate Medical Dean and Director of Education. She previously was Medical Director for NIMDTA Single Lead Employer. She has held a number of educational roles including Associate Dean for Careers and Professional Support, College Tutor, Training Programme Director for Core Medicine and Deputy Head of School of Medicine.

She works clinically as a Consultant Nephrologist in Northern Health and Social Care Trust. She undertook her Speciality Training in Renal and General (Internal) Medicine in Belfast and Glasgow and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (London). She has completed a PhD investigating the role of vasoactive factor in diabetic nephropathy, a Masters in Clinical Education with a dissertation looking at the use of technology in medical education and a Masters in Career Development and Coaching (Warwick University). Her educational interests include promotion of flexibility within training, career coaching, wellbeing and mentorship.

Dr Tom Yapp

Special Advisor for Recruitment & Foundation School Director for Wales

Elaine Colaço

Head of UKFPO