Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Harrogate District Hospital, Ripon Community Hospital and a range of community-based health services across North Yorkshire, such as Health Visitors and School Nurses, is asking local people to help shape its future by becoming Trust Governors.
The Trust will be holding elections this autumn for Governors in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon and wants as many people as possible to stand and vote for the positions available.
Harriet Dow, Head of Corporate Affairs, said:
Our Governors are an integral part of the Trust and ensure that we are accountable to the local community we serve. The Council of Governors have key responsibilities such as the appointment of the Non-Executive Directors on the Board of Directors, the appointment of the Trust’s external auditor and development of an active membership. There are opportunities to work on specific projects and to represent the Trust locally and nationally too.
With the Government’s reforms of the NHS, the role of Governors has become more important than ever, with additional responsibilities.
At Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, we are extremely lucky to have an active and engaged Council of Governors, who lead the way on initiatives like our award winning Education Liaison programme. Now we are looking for people to join our Council of Governors and help to shape the Trust as we move forward.
The Trust will be holding Elections later in the year for the following positions:
4 Public Governors in the following constituencies:
- Public Governor for Harrogate and surrounding villages – 2 positions
- Public Governor for Ripon and West District – 1 position
- Public Governor for Knaresborough and East District – 1 position
3 Staff Governors in the following constituencies:
- Staff Governor for Medical Practitioners
- Staff Governor for Other Clinical
- Staff Governor for Other Non-Clinical
In order to stand or vote in the elections, you have to be a Member of the Foundation Trust. It is free to join and an application form is on the Trust’s website at www.hdft.nhs.uk or available from the Foundation Trust Office on (01423) 554489 or by emailing Angie Colvin, Corporate Affairs Manager, at angie.colvin@hdft.nhs.uk
The Trust will be holding sessions where anyone who is interested in becoming a Governor can find out more. These will take place on Friday 5 October at 3 – 4.30 pm and Wednesday 10 October 5.30 – 7 pm, both in the Classroom, Strayside Education Centre, 3rd Floor, Harrogate District Hospital.
If you are interested in finding out more about being a Governor and would like to register your interest and be invited to one of the pre-Election Potential Governor Sessions, please contact the Foundation Trust Office on 01423 554489 or via email to Angie Colvin, Corporate Affairs Manager at angie.colvin@hdft.nhs.uk
The elections are being run independently by Electoral Reform Services. A nomination form to stand for election to these positions can be obtained from the Returning Officer at Electoral Reform Services Limited
The Election Centre 33 Clarendon Road London. N8 0NWTel 0208 889 9203
caroline.hinchcliffe@electoralreform.co.uk
All nomination papers should be received by the Returning Officer, Caroline Hinchcliffe, at the address as detailed below, by 5pm on Wednesday 17 October 2012.
Ballot papers will be distributed to Foundation Trust Members on Thursday 8 November 2012. Completed ballot papers must be received by the Independent Scrutineer by 5pm on Monday 3 December 2012.
