Find out more about our Governor elections

Being a Governor provides you with a unique opportunity to contribute to the strategic debate and the overall direction of the Trust on behalf of its members, service users, carers
and the public. Governor’s have a vital role in holding Non-Executive Directors to account for the performance of the Board of Directors.

We are looking for people with an interest in the Trust and a real desire to help us to improve. The diversity of life experience and knowledge of Governors really makes a difference as it provides new insights, solutions and challenge.

Collection of N.S.F.T governors

Join us to find out more

Trust Members and people with an interest in mental healthcare are invited to join our governors at one or more of our Governor Election Information Sessions.

Each event is an opportunity to learn more about:

  • The role of a governor
  • Who can apply
  • The nomination process.

The event details are:

  • Thursday 5 October 09:00 - 14:00:
    • Come and meet our governors at their stand at Healthwatch Norfolk Live, The Forum, Millennium Plain, Norwich NR2 1TF.  No registration required to visit stands. If you would like to register for the Healthwatch Norfolk Live event please visit www.healthwatchnorfolk.co.uk
  • Wednesday 11 October 17:00 - 18:30:
    •  Online Governor Election Information Session via Microsoft TEAMS.
  • Friday 13 October 11:00 - 12:30:
    •  Governor Election Information Session - In-person event: Endeavour House, Russell Road, Ipswich IP1 2BX
  • Thursday 19 October 12:00 -13:30:
    •  Governor Election Information Session - In-person event: Diss United Reformed Church, Mere Street, Diss IP22 4AD  

Register to attend one of the events

If you are interested in attending one or more of the events, please complete this registration form at least 24 hours before the date of the event. If you have any queries please email Membership@nsft.nhs.uk.

Trust Membership is open to service users, carers, staff and members of the wider public. Please visit our Membership page on the NSFT website for more information and email Membership@nsft.nhs.uk with any queries.

Standing for election

Only members of the Trust can stand for election. Trust membership is open to service users, carers, staff and members of the wider public. Please visit our membership page for more information and email Membership@nsft.nhs.uk if you have any questions.

A nomination form to stand for election will be available from the Returning Officer at Civica Election Services (CES) from 16 October 2023. Further details will be published when the nominations period open. Nominations close on 31 October 2023.

Voting will open on 17 November 2023 and close on 8 December 2023.

CES is an independent organisation which runs our election process to ensure it is unbiased, fair and legal.

Elections to the Council of Governors

Read our recent press release about becoming a Governor at NSFT here.

2022 Formal documents

Information sessions

Information sessions are being held throughout October for you to find out more about being a Governor. For details, please visit Events | Norfolk and Suffolk NHS (nsft.nhs.uk)

Election queries

Please direct all enquiries to the Returning Officer, Abi Walcott-Daniel. Call 020 8889 9203 or email ftnominationenquiries@cesvotes.com 

Rules and regulations for elections to the Council of Governors

Elections to the Council of Governors take place every year for those governors who have come to the end of the​ir term, or w​ho have stopped being a governor during the previous year. Governors are usually elected for three-year terms, starting on 1 February. They can be re-elected twice, serving up to nine years.

Our Constitution contains the rules for elections and the circumstances under which a person cann​ot stand as a Governor. These elections take place under the Department of Health's model rules for elections.

Members can only stand as a Governor for the constituency of which they are a member (that is, staff members can only be Staff Governors). 

CES sends ballot papers to all members in the constituencies where seats are being contested, to vote on who should represent them. 

For the election regulations and information about the Trust, please contact Jean Clark, Trust Secretary. Call 01603 421233 or email jean.clark@nsft.nhs.uk.

Information on the Council and the role of the Governor

The Council represents the interests of our Foundation Trust members and partner organisations. They feed back information to the members who elected or appointed them. 

Governors must act in the best interest of the Trust and in accordance with the seven principles of public life – the Nolan Principles: 

  • selflessness
  • integrity 
  • objectivity 
  • accountability 
  • openness
  • honesty 
  • leadership

The Council meets six times a year in public and Governors should attend these meetings. There are also subgroups of the Council.

​If you would like to stand as a Governor, we hope the following information​ is useful:

 

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