Do Your Bit for The NHS in Rotherham

Those who have been keen to support the NHS during the COVID-19 pandemic are being urged to put their desire to help into action!

The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust (TRFT) has received hundreds of generous offers of support recently; from charitable donations to offers of voluntary help for patients and for the vital healthcare services it provides.

“An ideal way to do this right now is to formally join our Trust and become a Member or Governor.” Says Gavin Rimmer, TRFT’s Lead Governor.

Being a Trust Member means that you can have your say in helping to plan future NHS services, and in turn you will have an impact on how healthcare in Rotherham is provided. You can get involved as much or as little as you want and being a Member also means that you are eligible to become a Trust Governor.

The Trust is due to launch a round of Governor elections in late July 2020 which gives locals a prime opportunity to help steer healthcare in the borough.

Gavin added: “Our NHS health services in Rotherham have been bowled over with kind and generous offers of support during the COVID-19 Pandemic, with hoards of people just wanting to do their bit and help in some way. There is currently a real sense of community sprit out there and we want to harness this, by attracting members to put their names forward to be elected to our Council of Governors.

“Becoming a Member or a Governor of our Trust means that you get to hear about opportunities to help, the chance to influence our services and make a real difference. We’re keen to have as many representatives as possible from across Rotherham communities and it is really important that people don’t let this opportunity pass them by.”

The Trust’s Council of Governors represents local people and helps set the direction for the future of hospital and community services, based on Members’ views.

Public Governors of the trust are elected by their fellow Members to sit on the Council. The Council of Governors is made up of patients, public, staff and partner representatives.

“Our Governors have an important shared mission to represent the public voice, the diversity of the local community and to influence the continual improvement of health services for the people of Rotherham.” Gavin added.

“You could be central to this.”

Full details of the nominations and elections process and information about vacant seats and constituencies can be found at: www.therotherhamft.nhs.uk/Corporate_Governance_Information/Governors_Elections/