Guidance: NHS foundation trust governors: representing the interests of members and the public

Guidance: NHS foundation trust governors: representing the interests of members and the public To get public engagement right, governors need to understand their role well. With understanding comes the confidence to engage with local communities, helping to improve our NHS for patients and staff.

This guide:

• gives the context for governors’ work
• gives examples of what governors could do to promote communication between foundation trusts, their members and the public
• includes case studies of the practical experiences of foundation trusts and governors

People who are involved in helping governors to fulfil their duties may find this guide useful. Chairs and other members of foundation trust boards, membership managers and trust secretaries may wish to refer to it.

Who produced the guide?

This guide has been developed jointly by Monitor and GovernWell in association with our partners the Care Quality Commission, the Department of Health, NHS Providers and the Independent Panel for Advising Governors.

Further information for governors

Monitor has published several further guidance documents for governors and members. TheGovernWell website also includes a resource library for governors.