News
Notice of Council of Governors elections
Notice is hereby given that elections will be held for the Council of Governors for The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust.
Elections are to be held for the following number of Governors in the following constituencies and classes:
Constituency, class and seats
- Public – Camden
Seats – 1 - Public – Rest of London
Seats – 4 - Public – Rest of England & Wales
Seats – 2 - Staff – Staff Governors
Seats – 2
To stand for election you must be a member of The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust within the constituency and class for which you wish to stand as a candidate.
Nominations may be completed online or returned by post, email or fax. To access the online nomination portal or download a nomination form in PDF or Microsoft Word format on our Council of Governors election portal.
Completed nominations must be received by the Returning Officer no later than 5.00pm on Monday, 04 October 2021.
Timetable for 2021 elections
- Publication of Notice of Election
Thursday, 16 September 2021 - Deadline for Receipt of Nominations
Monday, 04 October 2021 - Publication of Statement of Nominations
Tuesday, 05 October 2021 - Deadline for Candidate Withdrawals
Thursday, 07 October 2021 - Notice of Poll / Issue of Ballot Packs
Tuesday, 19 October 2021 - Close of Poll – 5pm
Thursday, 11 November 2021 - Declaration of Result
Friday, 12 November 2021
Why become a Governor?
Message from Mr George Wilkinson, Public Governor Rest of England & Wales and Lead Governor.
Ask any NHS Foundation Trust Governor what the role of a Governor is, and you are likely to get the answer, “We hold the non-executive directors, individually and collectively, to account for the performance of the board of directors, and we represent the interests of members and the public.” That answer is right insofar as it goes. Those are our duties laid down by law. But what does this mean in practice, and why is it so worthwhile being a Governor of the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust?
As Governors at the Tavistock, we are very much involved and valued by the Trust. We don’t make decisions: that is the responsibility of the Board of Directors, but we make sure, whether it is at our quarterly Council of Governors meetings, in Joint Board meetings (once a year the Board and Council meet together), or participating in various internal Trust committees, that our members’ voices are heard and the public view put. In doing this, we play a critical role in ensuring that the Trust remains publicly accountable for its services and we provide an important link between the Trust’s members and the Board of Directors – not just responsible for representing the views of members and partner organisations to the Board, but feeding back information about the Trust and its performance.
The Trust keeps us fully informed and seeks our views as Governors on a whole range of issues that affect the Trust. This past year we have contributed to the debates and discussions around the key challenges that the Trust faces, led on the recruitment of new Non-Executive Directors, been involved in the Trust’s commitment to equity and fairness, and helped formulate the direction of the Trust by our participation in various internal committees.
We come from a wide range of backgrounds, bringing very different skills, experiences and interests, but as Governors we have a common purpose – to do what we can to ensure that the Tavistock thrives and prospers for the benefit of its patients, their families and their carers, and its people. It is a significant responsibility and it isn’t always comfortable. And you shouldn’t necessarily expect it to be, as challenge and support are different sides of the same coin. But it is hugely worthwhile. The Trust’s website puts it very well: “Our Governors are the guardians of our mission and values, and they help us achieve our objectives.”
George Wilkinson
Lead Governor