Are you interested in becoming a QVH public governor?

We are launching the process to find people who would like to stand for election to one of our 20 public governor vacancies. Elected governors will take up post from 1 July 2023 for a term of three years.

What is a governor?

Governors have an important role in making an NHS foundation trust publicly accountable for the services it provides. They bring valuable perspectives and contributions to our activities. Governors hold non-executive directors to account for the performance of the Board and represent the interests of NHS foundation trust members and the public. Governors are volunteers and are not paid. You can find out more in the Brief guide for governors.

We spoke to one of our current public governors and asked her to tell us what it is like to be a governor and what she enjoys about the role. You can read about it in the autumn 2022 edition of QVH News which is available here.

Can I stand as a public governor?

You can stand if:

• you are a member of the Trust
• you are at least 18 years of age
• you reside in Kent, Surrey, Sussex or South London, in one of the electoral wards below as defined in the Trust’s Constitution (Kent County Council; West Sussex County Council; East Sussex County Council; Surrey County Council; Medway Unitary Authority; Brighton and Hove City Council; London Borough of Croydon; London Borough of Kingston; London Borough of Merton; London Borough of Richmond; London Borough of Sutton; London Borough of Bexley; London Borough of Bromley; London Borough of Greenwich; London Borough of Lambeth; London Borough of Lewisham; London Borough of Southwark; London Borough of Wandsworth)
• you have attended a pre-election event as required by the Trust’s Constitution.
• you complete the self-nomination form by the deadline and according to instructions
• you are not already a foundation trust governor elsewhere, or, if you are, are prepared to resign if elected.

Standing as a governor is a decision which will need some thought and all potential candidates need to attend a pre-election briefing about the role. You will also need to prepare a statement explaining to other members why you wish to stand.

No experience of being a governor is necessary, just commitment, enthusiasm and some spare time (approximately a half to full day each month depending on your level of involvement). The governor role is not paid.

When are the pre-election events?

If you are interested in standing, you need to come to one of our pre-election events.  Three of these events will be held via Teams and one of them will be held in person at QVH. Please sign up for whichever suits you. The events are scheduled for:

• Monday 13 March 2023 4-5pm (Microsoft Teams)
• Thursday 23 March 2023 9-10am (Microsoft Teams)
• Tuesday 4 April 2023 10-11am (Microsoft Teams)
• Wednesday 5 April 2023 12-1pm (in person, QVH)

These meetings are an essential part of deciding to stand for the role. You will hear from Jackie Smith, QVH chair, other members of the Board, some of our current governors and members of the Corporate Affairs team. This will provide you with a good insight into the governor role at QVH.

If you would like to come along please let Leonora May, deputy company secretary know via email at Leonora.may1@nhs.net.

When are the elections?

Nominations will open on Tuesday 21 March 2023 and close on Wednesday 19 April 2023. You can nominate yourself electronically via this link. If you cannot nominate electronically please call Civica on 0208 889 9203 who will send you a paper form.

The election itself will take place between 16 May 2023 and 12 June 2023. The new governors will take up their role from 1 July 2023.