Finding your governor candidates

Engaging with enough potential Governors in each constituency to ensure contested elections is a priority for every FT. We can give you the guarantee that we will identify an agreed number of Governors candidates to ensure contested Trust elections.

Either as an aspirant or newly authorised Foundation Trust, one goal remains the same in the run up to Governor elections: the need to attract a selection of good quality, representative and prepared Governor candidates.

Trusts need to ensure that a sufficient number of members stand in the initial round of elections. You may anticipate that it will prove particularly difficult to recruit the right people in certain constituencies, you may have members who feel more of a natural affinity to the work of another Trust nearer by, or it may simply be that few members have so far come forward as candidates. Contested elections also provide members with a key opportunity to engage with the Trust in the exercise of their democratic right to vote.

Re-running elections in seats which have previously experienced low levels of engagement is a costly business. Our approach ensures not only that the Trust can demonstrate a sufficient number of candidates standing in each constituency, but also that these candidates are drawn from all walks of life. Naturally, members who come forward and self-identify as candidates are important and their interest should be carefully nurtured. However, in addition we seek to go beyond this interest, identifying and encouraging candidates to stand who perhaps would not have come forward otherwise.

We will facilitate the broadest representation of interest on any FT council, and encourage candidates to stand who are representative of the area’s gender, ethnic, geographic and age mix.

We will:
  • Personally contact community activists and ‘joiners’ who are already civically engaged and may be interested in becoming FT Governors e.g. School governors; JPs; political party members; community/faith group leaders/members, etc.
  • Speak to key contacts both within the hospital and externally (including PCTs, patients and other partner organisations) to explain the election process and to ask if they can suggest people who may be interested in standing for election.
  • Follow up on expressions of interest recorded as part of the recruitment process.
  • Ensure that appropriate encouragement and support is provided to service users and carers to encourage them to stand as Governors.
  • Support and encourage potential candidates - we recognise that taking the step from becoming a member to becoming an elected Governor can be a daunting prospect, particularly for people who are not familiar with how formal committees/ councils operate. We can provide support and encouragement to such people to ensure that the choice of candidates is as representative as possible of the community served by the Trust.
  • Produce and distribute candidates packs with eligibility criteria, job profiles, etc
  • Exploit any pre-planned Trust events (if appropriate) to encourage prospective candidates to stand, including seminars explaining the role and responsibilities of Governors.
  • Organise advertising in appropriate publications, if required.
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Last Updated on Friday, 14 August 2009 11:08