Could you be a governor at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust?
Our governors play a key role in representing the views of our patient, public and staff members, making sure that our services meet the needs of our communities.
If you have an interest in our Trust and in helping us continue to deliver the best possible care to our patients, please consider standing for election as a governor.
Elections
We are currently holding elections to the following governor seats:
- three seats in the Guy's and St Thomas' patient class
- three seats in the Royal Brompton and Harefield patient class
- one seat in the patient carer class
- six seats in the public constituency area one (members of the public who live around Guy's and St Thomas' hospitals)
- three seats in Guy's and St Thomas' clinical staff class
- one seat in the Guy's and St Thomas' community staff class
- one seat in the Royal Brompton and Harefield clinical staff class
- one seat in the Royal Brompton and Harefield other staff class (non-clinical).
Nominations deadline
Nominations are now open and will close at 5pm on Monday 29 March, 2021.
We encourage people of all backgrounds and experiences to put themselves forward to help make sure that the voice of our Council of Governors is representative of the diverse communities that we serve.
If you are a member, we will send you information about how to stand for election by email or in the post.
To stand as governor or vote you must be 18 years or older and be a member of the Trust in the constituency you wish to represent. You must also be willing to declare your political and financial interests and undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
If you are not yet a member and/or would like to stand to become a governor, please complete our online membership form or contact our membership office at members@gstt.nhs.uk.
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What are the benefits of being a governor?
- Make an important contribution to your local community.
- Receive the latest news about developments at the Trust.
- Become involved in helping develop the Trust's future plans.
- Gain new skills, for example chairing meetings, speaking in groups, and monitoring budgets.
- Attend training sessions run by Trust experts.
- Attend our popular health webinars to learn about the latest clinical research and meet medical experts.
The Council of Governors page has information about the role of our governors.
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Martin's experience as a governor
Martin Bailey was elected to the Council of Governors in 2019. Talking about his experiences and motivations as a governor, Martin said: "I've lived in Lambeth as long as I've lived in London, and I readily admit I previously had very low awareness of the governance of Guy's and St Thomas'. I've been a charity trustee in the past, and am currently a school governor locally. Looking at the Council of Governors, I saw committed people, but I didn't see young people, I didn't see much visible diversity, nor did I see many LGBT+ people. With an average age of 33 and Lambeth having the highest LGBT+ population in the country, these things make this corner of London a special place, but also brings its own unique set of health challenges and perspectives. For me, the best way to respond to this, was to become part of the conversation.
"Being a governor has been an interesting experience. Health inequalities in black, Asian and minority ethnic communities have been brought to the fore, Guy's and St Thomas' has just gone through a merger (with Royal Brompton and Harefield), and we're about to enter a period where we will see more staff burnout than ever before, but will be playing catch-up on the thousands of patients who have had treatments delayed this past year. Governors need to ensure the Trust has its priorities right, using finite resources in the most efficient and effective way.
"Looking forward, I am keen we develop better and stronger community links especially at the top end of the organisation. We need to be able to clearly articulate the Trust's purpose and vision in a relatable way, which formulates tangible reasons why ordinary people should become members and use their voice, but also bring us their skills and expertise."
Voting
We hope all members will vote in the elections when voting opens on Thursday 22 April. Voting will close on Tuesday 18 May and the results will be announced shortly afterwards.
If you would like this information translated in the language of your choice, please call 020 7188 8815 or email languagesupport@gstt.nhs.uk.
Further information
If you have a question about becoming a governor, please email members@gstt.nhs.uk.