Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust’s Council of Governors elections are coming up this spring. Nominations will open on February 28 and we have 12 seats up for election. Whether you are a patient, carer, member of the public or staff, we have vacancies across the counties.

Although it is still a while till the nominations open, you can start preparing now.

Become a member of the Trust

In order to stand as a candidate or vote in the governor elections you must be a member of Oxford Health. If you aren’t yet, sign up now.

Membership is free and anyone over 12 years old, living in England or Wales, is welcome to join. You have no obligations as a member but there are lots of ways to get involved.

In order to take part in this year’s governor election you must have signed up by March 31, when the nominations close. This is set by the Trust’s constitution. So don’t delay – sign up here.

Come along to our election events

Kerry Rogers

In March we’ll be having election events for people who are interested in becoming a governor. You will be able to ask questions from our Director of Corporate Affairs & Trust Secretary Kerry Rogers and discuss the role with current governors.

Join us to hear first hand what governors do, how much time you must put in, what you will learn and how much influence you will have.

As a member you will get the invitations straight to your inbox, so sign up here.

Check your constituency

You will be able to stand as a candidate and vote in the constituency and class where you are a member. For example, if you have signed up as a member of public with a postcode starting OX, you can stand as a candidate and vote in the category Public – Oxfordshire.

If you are unsure of your membership status, please email us at FT.MembershipCommunity@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk and we’ll check it for you.

Prepare your election statement

Your nomination will ask for a 250-word election statement. This will give your community an idea of what you stand for. Why do you want to become a governor? What aspects of your local health care do you feel strongly about? What do you feel you can most contribute?

Your statement is entirely up to you, but the word limit is strict. If it goes over 250, it will simply be cut at 250, even in middle of a sentence.

Have you picture taken

You can include a photo of yourself in your election statement, and we strongly recommend you do: it will make you more approachable for the electorate.

How do I nominate myself?

You will be able to nominate yourself on a nomination website that will go public on Monday, February 28.

From the nomination website you’ll be also able to request a paper nomination form or an easy read nomination form.

All members will receive a Notice of Election, which tells you that nominations are open, by email or letter, depending on your communications preferences. We will also communicate about each stage of the election process on the Trust website, in social media, on our social media and to the press.

What are the key dates?

The key dates in our elections are:

• Monday, February 28 – Nominations open
• Thursday, March 31 – Nominations close
• Friday, April 1 – Summary of nominated candidates published on our website
• Thursday, April 21 – Polls open
• Friday, May 13 – Polls close
• Monday, May 16 – Declaration of results

During the second half of May, the newly elected governors will be invited to have an induction to their role and provide the paperwork for the fit and proper checks. They will then officially take their governor seats on June 1.

If you have any questions or would like an informal chat about the governor role, please email us at FT.MembershipCommunity@oxfordhealth.nhs.uk.