Our council of governors is made up of representatives elected by Trust members and those appointed by partner organisations such as universities and local authorities. The council of governors is made up of 36 people including:
- 22 members of the public elected to their position by Trust members
- 6 Hartlepool representatives
- 11 Stockton
- 2 Easington representatives
- 2 Sedgefield representatives
- 1 Out of area representative
- 6 members of staff elected to their position by other Trust employees
- 8 nominated representatives of local public sector organisations
Governors have a number of statutory roles to play and help our organisation to develop its long-term strategy and mould our future direction. Having a council of governors is a key feature of any NHS Foundation Trust and gives people a greater say in how we plan our healthcare for the future.
Each governor embodies our local community – ensuring the vital views of our members and publics are represented when important decisions are being taken about our services. Our governors:
- Shape our plans for the future
- Reflect the interests of members and the general public
- Help select and appoint the chairman and non-executive directors
- Advise the board of directors on issues and support the development of services
- Approve the chief executive’s appointment
- Attend council of governors meetings
- Help develop the Trust’s membership strategy
How to become a governor
Becoming a governor is ideal if you are interested in healthcare and want to get more involved in shaping local health services now and in the future.
Governors are elected from within our Trust membership – so if you are already a part of our membership scheme then you are able to stand for election (held annually every autumn).
Governors serve an initial term of two or three years and can choose to be re-elected after this period.
The job will require governors to dedicate some of their time and commitment to attending meetings and sub-committees to look at key areas like strategy, membership recruitment and nominations. Although governors do not receive payment for their role, they are entitles to claim relevant expenses, such as for travel.
Contact your governor or find out more
Do you have a question you would like to ask your governors or would you like to find out more about how you could become a governor? You can get in touch:
