Trustees for Epilepsy Scotland
This position is now closed
Job description...
- Location: 48 Govan Road, Glasgow, G51 1JL | Hybrid
- Salary: Non Remunerated post
- Status: 3 year term
- Frequency of meetings: Attendance at four regular meetings of the Board of Trustees, three of which will be virtual. (2.5hrs per meeting)
- Reports to: Board of Directors / Chair
- Closing Date: Friday 5th September at 5pm
- Interview Date: The next AGM is Saturday 13th September. Then there is a Board meeting on Saturday 29th November 2025.
Welcome Message from the CEO
At Epilepsy Scotland, we are dedicated to improving the lives of people living with epilepsy, their families, and communities across the country. Every day, our services change lives – offering support, guidance, and hope when it’s needed most. Our impact is seen not only in the numbers we reach, but in the powerful stories of those we help.
The past year has been extremely challenging. Like many charities, we’ve faced rising costs without equivalent increases in funding, reduced disposable incomes affecting donations, and greater demand for our services. Statutory bodies such as the NHS and social services refer people to us but rarely contribute financially. Our helpline has seen a 125% increase in calls since before the pandemic, and our Welfare Rights team had to pause new referrals three times due to demand. These pressures led to difficult decisions, including leaving some roles unfilled and temporarily reducing staff hours by 10%.
Despite these challenges, our dedicated staff have continued to deliver vital person-centred support from Shetland to the Borders. This includes our Scotland-wide Helpline, Adult Wellbeing Service, Welfare Rights Service and Youth Groups. In the past year, we directly supported over 2,000 people with epilepsy and indirectly reached over 17,000 others. We published our influential Epilepsy On The Mind mental health report, discussed in the Scottish Parliament, and continued to influence policy through government consultations and the Cross-Party Group on Epilepsy.
In 2024, we marked 70 years of service. We have made great progress, but much remains to be done for the 80,000 people in Scotland living with this under-represented and misunderstood condition. We remain committed to providing person-centred support and ensuring decision-makers have the information they need to make positive change.
We are now seeking committed and passionate Trustees to join our Board. As a Trustee, you will help shape our future, support our team, and ensure our services remain strong, accessible, and impactful. If you share our vision of a Scotland where people with epilepsy are fully supported, understood, and included – we would love to hear from you.
Warm wishes
Lesslie Young OBE, CEO
Epilepsy Scotland is a registered Scottish charity that wants to make sure the needs of people with epilepsy and associated conditions are met. This is why we campaign for improved healthcare, better information provision and an end to stigma.
Epilepsy Scotland works with people living with epilepsy to ensure that their voice is heard.
In Scotland approximately 80,000 people have epilepsy. Children and older people are most at risk of developing this common serious neurological condition, but anyone can develop epilepsy at any time and around eight people in Scotland do every day. There is also a wider community of families, carers, friends etc., living with epilepsy.
Epilepsy Scotland are committed to seeking people who represent the communities we serve in all areas of the charity including as Trustees.
This role profile has been prepared to clearly set out the standards and responsibilities that are associated with being a Trustee and director on the Board of Epilepsy Action Scotland (Epilepsy Scotland). It should be read in conjunction with the Articles of Association.
The Board of Trustees have and must accept ultimate responsibility for directing Epilepsy Scotland’s affairs, ensuring it is solvent, well-run, and delivering the outcomes for which it has been set up. The Board operates under the leadership and guidance of the Chair and works in partnership with the Chief Executive.
Please contact Alan Surgeon or Donna McKay in the first instance to arrange a meeting via Teams or Zoom, to discuss the post in depth.
Suitable candidates will then be invited to apply by completing the fields in the box below, and attaching their CV and tailored Cover Letter. Please note no application form is necessary to apply for this post.
Click here for OSCR Guidance and Good Practice for Charity Trustees
This position is now closed.
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