Council of Governor’s Election Focus on Claire Terry, Lead Governor
Nominations for our Council of Governors open on Wednesday 22 September and we are seeking Governors for a variety of important positions to represent patients, staff, partner organisations and the wider public.
The Council of Governors is made up of elected and appointed people who are volunteers and are not paid. Our Governors have an important role in making sure our Trust is publicly accountable for the service it provides. They bring valuable perspectives and contributions to its activities, ensuring that both hospitals work well for patients, carers, staff and the general public.
Our Lead Governor, Claire Terry, who has been a Governor for our Trust since 2017 said: “It is a real privilege to be a Governor at the only dedicated women’s and children’s trust in the UK and to have the opportunity to shape the future of care for families in Birmingham.”
Claire, who currently works as Legacy Transition Lead for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, has a wealth of experience working with clients from both the public and private sectors. She adds: “Our Governors have a wide range of professional and life experiences and are a wonderful mixture of people including teenagers and university students, professionals, stay-at-home parents and carers and retirees.”
No special skills are needed to be a Governor. The most important part of the role is to have a passion for representing the interests of people who use or work in the NHS and to be committed to our Trust values of being Ambitious, Brave and Compassionate.
When asked what she might say to anyone thinking of becoming a Governor, Claire says: “Give it a go! It is a really important and interesting role and a great way to have an involvement in something that gives back to the Women, Children and families the Trust cares for and supports.”
We ask Governors to commit to around three hours every month to the position, mainly in the evening, and be available to attend four formal council meetings a year. No experience is necessary – full support, guidance and training are given by our Company Secretary team.
When nominations open on 22 September the following positions will be up for election:
- BCH Patient Governor (x2)
- Carer of Patient at BCH Governor (x1)
- Patient or Carer of Patient at BWH Governor (x1)
- Midwife Governor (x1)
- Mental Health Governor (x1)
The following current Governors are also up for re-election:
- Nurse Governor (x1)
- Birmingham and Solihull Public Governor (x1)
- Rest of the West Midlands Public Governor (x2)
The term length for each position is three years. For further details, the Notice of Election can be downloaded here.
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All nominations should be received by 5pm on Wednesday 20 October 2021.
For more information on our Council of Governors visit our dedicated section on our website here: https://bwc.nhs.uk/our-governors
If you would like more information on the positions available, the election process, or for an informal chat please contact our Foundation Trust Office by email bwc.foundationtrustoffice@nhs.net or by calling 0121 333 8433 (Monday to Friday, 9am – 4.30pm).