Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust runs services at Gloucestershire Royal and Cheltenham General Hospitals providing acute services for the most seriously ill people in Gloucestershire and specialist cancer services to people from Herefordshire and Worcestershire.

What is an NHS Foundation Trust ?

• A new kind of NHS organisation with more freedom to meet local needs and priorities.
  
  
• Treatment in our hospitals will be free - It does not mean privatisation.
  
  
• You, your family and friends can be Members of the Foundation Trust and have a real say about how the largest hospitals in Gloucestershire are run.
  
  
• As a Member you will be able to nominate yourself or vote for a Governor who will be your representative and have a direct link to the Board of Directors.
  
  
• The Trust will still be required to meet national targets on treatment times and in other areas, like cleanliness and food quality.
  

• Department of Health short guide to Foundation Trusts
  

Benefits of being an NHS Foundation Trust

• The Trust believes that there will be significant benefits for patients and for staff.
  
  
• The freedoms should help us to provide better services for patients, in more innovative ways.
  
  
• We will be more responsive to the views of patients and the local community.
  
  
• Our staff will more easily be able to implement their good ideas.
  

Who can be a Member?

• Anyone who lives in Gloucestershire.
  
  
• Patients, including those who live outside Gloucestershire who have received treatment in one of the Trust's hospitals within the last three years, and all future patients.
  
  
• All employees of the Trust, plus staff of other organisations who have provided services to the Hospitals Trust for more than 12 months.
  
  
• Registered Volunteers to the Trust.
  

Who can be a Governor?

Any Member can nominate themselves for publicised Governor vacanies in their own constituency. Elections are held most years with the term of office for a governor being 3 years.

12 Public Governors

2- Cheltenham Borough Council Area
2- Tewkesbury Borough Council Area
2- Stroud District Council Area
2- Cotswold District Council Area
2- Gloucester City Council Area
2- Forest of Dean District Council Area

1 Patient Govenor

1 (currently in-County)

6 Staff Governors

1 Medical/dental
2 Nursing/midwifery
1 Clinical/scientific/technical
2 Other

5 Stakeholder Governors

2 from local PCTs (Gloucestershire/Herefordshire)
2 from Local Authority (Gloucestershire County Council)
1 from LINks

Who will be on the Council of Governors?

There will be 24 places on the Council of Governors, with Public, Patient, Staff and Stakeholder representatives.

We anticipate that patients resident in Gloucestershire will choose to be Members in their local public constituency.

We have also included a patient constituency aimed mainly at out of county patients.

Stakeholder Governors will be appointed by the named organisations.

What does it mean to be a Governor?

As a Governor, you will:

• be invited to attend six Council of Governors meetings per year.
  
  
• be consulted on plans for changes to the health service locally.
  
  
• be consulted about any areas of special interest that you have.
  
  
• be prepared to meet with and speak to Members in your constituency to hear their views.
  
  
• receive user friendly information to keep you up to date with the work of the Trust.
  
  
• appoint the Chair and NonExecutive Directors of the Trust and approve the appointment of the Chief Executive.
  

Is there anything else I need to know?

• You will receive mileage and car parking expenses but not a salary.
  
  
• The Term of Office will normally be for three years initially and for a maximum of three terms.
  
  
• You can nominate yourself to be a Governor.
  
  
• Governors will not receive a 'dividend', bonus or any special NHS treatment.
  
  
• You don't need to have experience of formal meetings. Training and support will be provided.
  
  
• Some conditions prohibit election as a Governor for a few people. These are fully listed in the Constitution (details of the Constitution are available on this website).
  

How do I become a Governor?

You must already be a Member. If you are not yet a Member and would like to register please click on the 'Being a Member' link.

Full information on the role of the Governor and a nomination form is contained in our Governor pack.

To receive your Governor pack contact us stating your full name and address:


Freephone 0800 019 3303


Email us


or write to freepost:
Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust,
Freepost NAT 7247
Cheltenham, GL53 7BR



Please indicate if you are a member of staff of Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Trust