Public Appointment: Extension of Member appointments to the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland

The Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, Maree Todd MSP, today announced the reappointment of Gordon Johnston and Mary Twaddle as Members of the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland.

 

Members

Gordon Johnston 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 active in many third sector mental health organisations in Scotland and is currently chair of VOX Scotland and a Public Partner with Healthcare Improvement Scotland. He also carries out consultancy work, mainly in peer research, patient engagement, community development and organisational development.  Gordon is also a non-executive board member of NHS Forth Valley and a member of the Scottish Government’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Leadership Board.

 

Mary Twaddle has lived experience of mental ill health and recovery and has been treated and supported by general adult mental health services for over 20 years. 
Originally studying for degrees in Physics at university, and after time out to focus on her health, she joined NHS Lothian at the end of 2015 as a peer support worker at the medium secure forensic unit, The Orchard Clinic, where she helped build the first peer support service within a medium secure forensic unit in the UK. In this role she uses her own lived experience to help others in their recovery from life changing periods of mental ill health. As part of the multi-disciplinary team, she helps maintain the recovery focused ethos of the clinic within the complexities of working in a forensic setting.

Appointment extensions

Gordon Johnston and Mary Twaddle’s appointments will be extended from 1 April 2025 to 31 July 2025.

The appointment extensions are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration

The reappointments are part-time and attract a remuneration of £252.13 for a time commitment of up to 15 days per annum (pro rata).

Other ministerial appointments

Gordon Johnston is a non-executive member of the NHS Forth Valley Board, for which he receives remuneration of £11,700 per annum, for a time commitment of 1 day per week.

Mary Twaddle does not hold any other public appointments.

Political activity

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process.  However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public.   

Gordon Johnston and Mary Twaddle have had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland (the Commission) protects and promotes the human rights of people with mental illness, learning disabilities, dementia and related conditions.  The Commission has a key statutory role in safeguarding individual rights and monitoring how the principles of mental health and incapacity legislation are applied in practice.  Through direct interventions in the care and treatment of individuals using mental health and learning disability services, providing guidance and conducting investigations, the Commission has a strong influence on the quality of care and treatment provided of some of the most vulnerable people in our community.