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Governors

About

Governors are very important to ensure a link between the members of the NHS Foundation Trust, the wider community and those who run the hospital.

Roles and Responsibilities

The key roles of the governors are as follows:

• Advisory – advising the Board of Directors on decisions about the strategic direction of the organisation in ways consistent with the needs of the members and wider community
  
  

• Strategic – informing the development of the future strategy for the organisation
  
  

• Guardianship – ensuring that the NHS Foundation Trust operates in a way that fits with its statement of purpose and complies with its authorisation and for acting in a trustee role for the welfare of the organisation.

Governors devote a substantial amount of time to their NHS Foundation Trust work. They attend the formal Board of Governors meetings which are held in the Hexagon four times a year – these meetings are open to the public and anyone can attend. They need to keep up to date with strategic issues for the Trust, health service policy and instructions from the Independent Regulator, ‘Monitor’.

An important part of their role is to communicate with the group of people who elected them, whether staff, patients or members of the public in the surrounding area. Staff governors visit departments and wards during team meetings as and when requested, and public and patient governors hold monthly informal surgeries around the membership area with a different ‘theme’ every six months. Governors also have opportunities to meet members on Open Day and at the Annual General Meeting.

Governors and the Board of Directors

Governors also have a crucial decision-making role and are responsible for the appointment and remuneration of the chairman and non-executives to the Board of Directors and the appointment of auditors. Three governor/director working groups have been set up to ensure regular links between the governors and the directors in the areas of: Forward Planning, Governance and Assurance (including Finance) and Membership and PPI (Patient and Public Involvement). Each of these groups meets quarterly providing important regular opportunities for dialogue between the two Boards.

Contacting a Governor

Members are free to contact governors at any time via their dedicated email address:

Details of how to get in touch are always given in the newsletter ‘Members Matters’ which is produced 3 times a year and which also keeps members informed of what the governors have been doing.