As a Foundation Trust, we have a Council of Governors who represent our members, including the public, our staff and the partner organisations we work with. The Council of Governors role is to make sure that members' views are represented when important decisions are taken about services, or the future direction of the organisation.
Who they are
The Council of Governors is largely made up of representatives covering the electoral wards of Bolton. There are also a number of appointed governors who represent our partner organisations, such as NHS Bolton, Bolton Council, local universities, and the voluntary sector.
The Council of Governors meets quarterly to discuss and review the Trust's plans. Contact the Trust Secretary if you would like to know more about becoming a governor.
Follow this link to find out more about you Governors.
What they do
The Council of Governors is a very important forum which helps shape the future direction of the organisation. The governors help set the strategy and are consulted on plans for services and budgets as well as considering staff issues.
Members of the public, patients and staff are all encouraged to liaise with our governors to improve the way we work and deliver services. You can contact any of our governors via the Trust Secretary or by email: governor@rbh.nhs.uk
Other roles and responsibilities for the Council of Governors are:
- Representing members' views to the Trust's Board of Directors
- Sharing information about key decisions with members of the Trust
- Appointing or removing the Chair and Non Executive Directors
- Being involved in recruitment of the Chief Executive
- Appointing the Trust's auditors
- Providing advice on the future strategic plans of the Trust
- Receiving the Annual Report and Accounts at the Annual General Meeting
What is the Difference between Governors and Directors
There is quite a big difference between our Board of Directors and our Council of Governors both as groups and as individuals.
Directors run the organisation. They are accountable and if something goes wrong they will be held responsible. Half of our Directors (Executive Directors) work full time and are paid a salary like any other member of staff. The other half (Non Executive Directors) work part time and also have other roles outside of the Trust. Non-executive Directors are paid a remuneration and are somewhat independent of the Trust.
Governors are volunteer representatives of our local communities, patients and carers, our staff and our partner organisations. They have certain powers but they are not held accountable if things go wrong within the Trust. If there is a failure of leadership within the Trust the regulator would work closely with the Council of Governors to appoint new Board members and to monitor improvements.
Council of Governor Elections September 2009
The independent Returning Officer has declared the following results in the recent Public and Staff Governor elections for the Trust. Each governor has been elected to serve a tenure of 3 years, starting on 1st October 2009.
The final report of voting can be requested from:
Esther Steel
Trust Secretary
Tel: 01204 390654