Governor elections now open

Elections are taking place to appoint local public, as well as patient and carer, representatives to the council of governors at the local mental health and community health trust, with seats available across Rotherham, Doncaster and South Humber.

Rotherham Doncaster and South Humber NHS Foundation Trust (RDaSH) are seeking individuals who are interested in making a real difference, including being a spokesperson for the communities which use the services the trust runs.

There are three vacancies for patients and carers and six for other members of the public.

Kath Lavery, Chair of the Board at RDaSH, said: “We are looking for members of our community who are passionate about their communities and healthcare services to join us as Governors.

“They will be the voice of their local community, holding us to account to set an ambitious strategy and deliver the highest quality of care.”

Being a governor means having your say, it means meeting four times a year with fellow governors to hear about the performance and plans of the trust. It means sharing experiences and asking questions, it also means our chair and non-executive directors, who are appointed by the governors, and the rest of the board have an avenue through which it can reach out to the community and hear about what matters.

There are also a range of other things to get involved in, the Annual Members Meeting (AMM) and other optional meetings, including peer reviews and visits, attending committees and collaboration with governors from elsewhere.

To stand for election as a public governor, you must be 16 years of age or over and registered as a member of the trust. In addition, you must be prepared to take on this role for a period of three years, after which you will be eligible to stand for re-election at the end of this period up to a maximum of nine years.

You do not need any formal qualifications, training, advice and support will be provided.

If you are interested in becoming a public governor, please contact Sue Black at RDaSH for further information by:

• Phone: 07929 656113
• Submit your nomination direct to Civica (opens in new window) who are managing the election on behalf of RDaSH.

You can join as a member via the online membership form (opens in new window) and submit your nomination by the closing date of 15 October 2024.

Published: October 04, 2024