Published on: 30th June 2016
Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust (LPFT) is holding a host of elections for its Council of Governors this summer, and patients, carers, staff and members of the public are all invited to stand.
Eighteen seats are up for the taking this time, with full elections across the Trust’s Service User and Carer constituency, and by-elections taking place in its Public (South Holland) and Staff constituencies.
Seven Service User seats are available, in addition to six Carer Governor seats, which represent the voice of patients and carers across Trust services including older adults, young people and learning disabilities.
In addition, by-elections will take place in four Staff seats across LPFT’s adult community and inpatient, corporate and older adult services, together with its Public South Holland seat, to give Trust employees and members of the public an opportunity to join the Council as well.
Governors take part in a number of activities throughout the year which enable the Trust to monitor and ensure the quality of its services is of the very highest standard.
To become a governor, you must first be a Trust member and following election will carry out a number of important statutory duties including representing members and the general public, whilst holding the Board of Directors to account.
Trust Chair Paul Devlin, said the elections were a great chance for those who are passionate about improving mental health and learning disability services to get involved and have their voices heard.
Our Council of Governors plays a vital role in ensuring we are always doing the very best we can for our patients
he said.
They have strong links with local people and are an important voice for those in the community who may use our services and who rightly expect to receive the highest quality of care. We want people to come forward who have a passion for developing continued quality improvements and who can make sure we represent our patients and take their views into consideration at all times. We’re looking for people with fresh ideas who can bring their passion and expertise to the Trust for the benefit of all who use our services.
Nominations remain open until 5pm on Friday 22 July with voting taking place throughout August and results declared in September.
Anyone interested in standing for election can download an application pack by visiting the new Governor Document Library, which can be accessed via the homepage.
There are also two Governor Information Sessions taking place at LPFT Headquarters, Unit 8, The Point, Lions Way, Sleaford, NG34 8GG. These will take place on 1 July from 2pm to 4pm and 12 July from 10am to 12pm to offer prospective candidates a chance to find out more about the governor role.
For more information on the Council of Governors, how to become a Trust member or to book on to one of the information sessions contact Samantha Swindell, Governor and Membership Officer on 01529 222277 or via email at samantha.swindell@lpft.nhs.uk
