New Governors For NHS Foundation Trust

The results of recent elections to the Council of Governors of Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust have been announced.

Seventeen places on the 31-strong Council of Governors were up for election, including nine public and eight staff governor posts. The public governors are drawn from constituencies across Derbyshire and the results are listed below.

In Amber Valley, Erewash and South Derbyshire there were three vacancies and the following people have been elected as a result of the vote:

• Janine McKnight Cowan
• Sarah Naylor
• Paul Mason.

In Derbyshire Dales and High Peak there were two vacancies and the following people have been elected as a result of the vote:

• Ann Button
• Steve Dawes.

In the City of Derby there was one vacancy and the following person has been elected as a result of the vote:

• Ian Beck

In Bolsover, Chesterfield & North East Derbyshire there were three vacancies. One person is elected:

• Claire Elizabeth McCann
• and the other two vacancies are unfilled.

There were eight vacancies for staff governor positions, with candidates from the 4,300-strong staff of Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust. The following people are elected:

Nursing constituency:

• Katie Andrew
• Adelle Clements
• Mandy Grogan

Healthcare support, facilities and estates constituency:

• Wendy Hodgkinson
• Karon Mather
• Claire Rowland

Other registered professionals constituency:

• Lynne Bakewell

Administrative, clerical and managerial constituency:

• Joanne Stanhope.

The Council of Governors holds the organisation to account on behalf of the communities it serves across Derbyshire. The elections were triggered because post-holders had come to the end of their terms of office.

Prem Singh, chairman of Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Thank you to everyone who put themselves forward for election. We are lucky to have such strong commitment from among the local community and from within our own staff to helping us improve our services for patients.

“Our Council of Governors represents the voice of local people in holding the organisation to account and all bring different perspectives and experience to the role. Collectively they ensure we are working effectively in the interests of the communities we serve. Our governors add great value to the work we do and I look forward to working with all the newly appointed and re-elected representatives.”

There are no specific qualifications needed for becoming an NHS governor except a keen interest in health care, time to attend meetings and get involved in events and training, a willingness to work with others, listen and share ideas and a desire to learn more about community health services.

The elections were independently run by UK Engage and in accordance with the model election rules.

Details about the Council of Governors can be found here: http://www.dchs.nhs.uk/home/about/governors