Become a member
Being a member of a Foundation Trust gives you the chance to have your say about how it is run.
Here, you will find information about what being a member means to our patients and the local community, and the way you can help us decide how the future will look.
What are NHS Foundation Trusts and how do they work?
NHS Foundation Trusts are free from government control and able to develop services to suit the needs of their local community. They are still part of the NHS family and continue to be subject to NHS quality standards, performance ratings and systems of inspection. Most importantly, these Trusts are accountable to staff and local people through members and an elected council of governors, who work closely with the Trust’s board of directors to influence decision making and strategic planning.
How do you become a member?
Becoming a member of our trust is simple and free.
All you need to do is complete a form expressing your wish to become a member and return it to us.
Contact the Membership Office to request an application form.
Contact membership office
FREEPOST NAT14353,
Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust,
Queen Elizabeth Hospital,
Sheriff Hill,
Gateshead,
NE9 6BR
Once we have received your completed form, we will confirm your membership and send you further information.
What will becoming a member mean to you, our patients and the local community?
As a member you:
- Can have your say in how the Trust develops its services
- Will receive regular information on Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust
- Can become involved in specific projects where your personal views on our services will offer a valuable perspective
- Will receive invitations to events, meetings such as our annual general meeting and presentations on health issues that interest you
- Will receive invitations to meet your governors to discuss any issues
- Be able to vote in elections to the Council of Governors
- Be eligible to stand for election to the Council of Governors
- Be able to attend regular meetings
- Will receive a membership card
What will I need to do as a member?
How involved you become is entirely up to you – there is no requirement to attend meetings or take part in elections. You may simply wish to be kept informed of developments and issues via the newsletter.
How does it work?
Our membership is made up of staff, public and patients. We also have a council of governors which is made up of governors who represent our staff, members, the public and key stakeholders.
Find out more about the Council of Governors
We also have a Board of Directors which has primary responsibility and accountability for the operation of the Trust.
Find out more about the Board of Directors
Who can become a member?
Membership is open to anyone who:
- is over the age of 16
- lives within our defined membership area
- has been a patient of the Trust, or the carer of a patient, at any time during the seven years preceding the date of application
- is employed by QE Gateshead (all staff are automatically members unless they choose to opt out).
Our latest AGM
Our Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Annual Members’ Meeting will be held on Wednesday 28th September 2022 at 09.30am to 11.00am. This will take place in person at our Trust Headquarters / Education Centre (QE Hospital site) with an option to join virtually on Microsoft Teams.
Please register your attendance on Eventbrite here.
We invite our members, the public, Governors, staff and valued stakeholders to join us as our Board of Directors formally presents our Annual Report, Accounts and Quality Account for the year ended 31 March 2022.
We will be looking back at what has been another unprecedented year for us all and hearing about how our fantastic teams continued to work incredibly hard to look after our patients in Gateshead and beyond.
You will hear directly from some of our teams involved in delivering innovations and service developments over the last year. This will include learning more about how our smoking cessation service has supported patients and staff. You will also hear about how our breast services team have worked incredibly hard to recover their performance and deliver a responsive service to patients – an achievement which has earned them a nomination for a prestigious national award.
We will also be looking ahead to the future and showcasing our new strategy and strategic aims.
The agenda and papers for the meeting will be online and you will also be able to view a recording of the meeting via the YouTube.
If you have any queries regarding the event please contact Diane Waites, Corporate Services Assistant on 0191 445 6043 / diane.waites@nhs.net
Elections
Election to the Council of Governors 2022.
We are holding elections to our Council of Governors with the nomination period opening on Wednesday 26 October 2022.
We have a number of vacancies and would be delighted to receive your nominations via Civica Election Services. For more information about nominating yourself and standing as a Governor, please complete your nomination online.
Or, for printed nomination form, please contact Civicia Election Services either by calling 0208 889 9203 or by emailing FTNominationenquiries@cesvotes.com. You can also text 2FT GA and your name and address to 88802.
We invite you to join one of our online information sessions if you would like to find out more about the role and how to apply. We will be holding sessions via Microsoft Teams on:
- Monday 31 October 2022 from 3.00pm until 4.00pm
- Wednesday 2 November 2022 from 10.00am until 11.00am
To register for a session please contact Jennifer Boyle, Company Secretary, on 0191 445 3712 / ghnt.foundation.enquiries@nhs.net
You can access our Notice of Election here, but the deadline for nominations has now passed:
Notice of Election (183kB pdf)
Nominations for our 2022 election to the Council of Governors have now closed. Here is a listing of the nominations received:
Statement of nominated candidates (152kB pdf)
Further to the deadline for the above election, please see below the uncontested report for those candidates who have been elected unopposed:
Uncontested report (249kB pdf)
It is hereby declared that elections are to be held within the constituencies outlined within the Notice of Poll (as below). Voting opens on Wednesday 30th November 2022 and voting instructions will be distributed to qualifying members by post or by email.
All votes must be received no later than 5.00pm on Thursday 22 December 2022.
You can find out more about what the role of a Governor involves in our Governor information pack for prospective candidates:
Governor Information Pack (402kB pdf)
Our Council of Governors’ Annual Report for 2021/22 will also provide you an insight into the work and activities of our Governors over the last financial year:
Council of Governors Annual Report 2021/22 (344kB pdf)
Contact Details
If you have any queries on the election process, please contact Civica Election Services either by calling 0208 889 9203 or by emailing FTNominationenquiries@cesvotes.com.
You can also contact Jennifer Boyle, company secretary, on 0191 445 3712 or email jennifer.boyle4@nhs.net
I want to become a member
Online form
You can also contact the membership office by telephone on 0191 4456043 or by email at ghnt.foundation.enquiries@nhs.net.
The postal address for the membership office is FREEPOST NAT14353, Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Sheriff Hill, Gateshead, NE9 6BR.