“The NHS belongs to the people and getting involved in the governance of the trust makes this principle tangible.”
Elections 2019
Nominations for the Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust Council of Governors are now closed.
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Who will you nominate?
We invited nominations from patients, carers, staff and members of the public. Governors represent the members of their community and can directly influence the strategic direction of the trust and NHS care in their community.
Director of corporate
All opportunities in Oxford Health governor elections 2019
We had 15 vacancies in the following seats:
| Constituency | Class | Vacancies |
|---|---|---|
| Public | Buckinghamshire Oxfordshire Rest of England and Wales | 3 3 1 |
| Patient | Carers Service Users: Buckinghamshire and other counties | 2 1 |
| Staff | Oxfordshire, BaNES, Swindon and Wiltshire Mental Health Services Buckinghamshire Mental Health Services Community Services Specialised Services | 1 1 2 1 |
| Total | 15 |
Stand as a governor
Sorry, nominations are now closed.
Opportunities in Oxfordshire
The trust has many exciting developments taking place in Oxfordshire, such as the trailblazer pilot to cut waiting times for children and adolescent mental health services and the £8.5 million development of a learning disabilities unit in Littlemore.
But there are many challenges, too. With the range of services Oxford Health provides in Oxfordshire – community hospitals, mental health services, school nurses, speech and language therapy, health visitors, dentistry, and talking therapy – it is likely that nearly everyone in our region has a stake in the future of the trust.
There were three vacancies for public governors in Oxfordshire as well as openings for staff who work for the trust, and for carers.
Opportunities in Buckinghamshire
The trust runs a range of established mental health services in Buckinghamshire, such as Healthy Minds which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, and the Recovery College. We also have exciting new developments, such as the trailblazer pilot to cut waiting times for children and adolescent mental health services.
There were three vacancies for public governors in Buckinghamshire and one for service users. There are also openings for staff who work for the trust, and for carers.
Opportunities in Bath, North East Somerset, Wiltshire and Swindon
In Swindon, Wiltshire, Bath and North East Somerset the trust provides mental health services for children and young people. Our services include learning disabilities, eating disorders and family assessment and safeguarding. In Swindon we have an in-patient unit Marlborough House which includes an
on-site school that follows the national curriculum.
We had one vacancy for public and one for service users, as well as staff and carer vacancies for which you can stand from any of these locations.
Am I qualified to be a governor?
You don’t need any formal qualifications to become a governor – what we need is your experience and interest. Also, you must be 16 or over, live in England or Wales, and be a member of our trust.
However, there are circumstances that will disqualify you from becoming a governor; for instance, if you are already a governor of another NHS trust or a member of Healthwatch. It’s worth checking the criteria in our constitution before you start your nomination.
If you are unsure, please email The Membership Team at FT.MembershipCommunity@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk
How much time do I need to put in?
The Council of Governors meets four times a year in Thame between 6pm and 8pm.
As a governor you are expected attend these meetings, although we understand it’s sometimes not possible for everyone to make every meeting.
Agendas are sent to you in advance to enable you to prepare for the meeting and see what is set to be discussed.
Oxford Health also has a Governor Forum, which takes place about two weeks before each Council meeting. The Forum is an opportunity for governors to discuss issues in a more informal setting and plan what to bring to the Council meetings.
We also encourage governors to join at least one governor
sub-group. In these you can get a much more in-depth view of various areas of the trust governance. The groups are:
- Safety and Clinical Effectiveness
- Patient and Staff Experience
- Finance
- Membership Involvement
Sub-groups meet four times a year. They are chaired by a governor, and agenda and papers are sent to you in advance.
Governors are elected for a period of up to three years, but you can resign at any time by writing to the company secretary or chairman of the trust.
Take a look at the summary of the governor’s responsibilities.