Governors elections 2025

Elections to our Council of Governors have now closed. Our Notice of Election is available at this link. Our Notice of Poll is available at this link. Our Notice of results is available here.

Your new Governors are:

• Bristol: John Chablo (re-elected), Robert Edwards (re-elected), Martin Rose (re-elected), Chloë Somers, Wendy Hurn, Paul Wheeler and Phil Smith
• Rest of England and Wales: Mark Patteson (re-elected) and Carolyne Crowe
• South Gloucestershire: Ben Argo (re-elected), David Chandler and Paul Cousins*
• Staff – Other Clinical Healthcare: Esther Obafemi
• Staff – Medical and Dental: Megan Crofts (uncontested)
• Staff – Nursing and Midwifery: Remi George and Rachel Harkness (uncontested)

*During the election period, Tony Tanner stood down from his role and so the third candidate was offered this seat.

The original election statements for all candidates are below.

Bristol (seven seats, nine candidates)

South Gloucestershire (two seats, six candidates)

Rest of England and Wales (two seats, three candidates)

Should you have any queries or need this information in another format, please email us at foundationtrust@uhbw.nhs.uk or call us on 0117 342 3764.

So, why have Governors?

Because we are a Foundation Trust, we have a Council of Governors.

Governors play a key role at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust in helping to guide the development of services, holding the non-executive directors to account, representing the views of members, and undertaking a range of statutory duties such as the appointment of the chair and non-executive directors. Most governors are elected from the Foundation Trust membership.

The governor role is a voluntary position which helps to make the Trust publicly accountable for the services we provide. Governors have various powers and duties and will be given the information, support and training necessary to carry these out.

What position can I stand for?

You can only nominate yourself for a role in a constituency that you are a part of. In 2025, we have 15 seats available within our entire of Council of Governors, made up of:

• Public – Bristol: 7 seats
• Public – South Gloucestershire: 2 seats
• Public – Rest of England and Wales: 2 seats
• Staff – Other Clinical Staff: 1 seat
• Staff – Medical and Dental: 1 seat
• Staff – Nursing and Midwifery: 2 seats

If you are a member of staff and are interested in being a Staff Governor, please visit our internal SharePoint page (only accessible with a UHBW login).

What does a Governor actually do?!

Governors actually do quite a lot!

There are two main statutory duties for a Council of Governors: to represent the views of members and the public, particularly in relation to the Trust’s strategic direction; and to hold the Non-executive Directors to account for the performance of the Board of Directors.

Governors talk to the public about their experiences of care and the Hospital, and use this information to feedback to the Board when things are not going well or when something is working really well, so lessons can be learned in both respects. Governors can do this in a multitude of ways including while attending their own appointments, joining events held by the Trust and also by becoming lay representatives in other public engagement teams.

Governors challenge the Board constructively to ensure they are doing their job properly, and there will be various reports, meeting papers and other information that you will be asked to read and comment on. Governor meetings are usually held in central Bristol or on an online meeting platform, and are held within office hours, so please take this into account when considering whether you can commit to the role.

Governors have a variety of other statutory duties that are mandated by NHS England, such as appointing the Chair and non-executive directors, approving the appointment of the chief executive, and receiving the annual report and accounts to name a few.

A more in depth list of Governors statutory duties is available on the Government Website.

Why become a Governor?

Being a Governor can be hugely rewarding and provide an opportunity to help to bring about positive change at the Trust. Whilst the role can be demanding, it is also interesting, and Governors have a unique perspective of the hospitals and the NHS. Working alongside fellow Governors is also a great way to meet new people and to feel part of a team.

We want to encourage a diverse Council of Governors to ensure we understand and respond to the different needs of the communities that our hospitals serve. We will do our utmost to provide support to those with particular needs, for example, ensuring that visually impaired governors can access information and material and ensuring that meetings are wheelchair-accessible and have appropriate facilities.

So, how much time will this take up?

The amount of time you spend on this role is up to you, however there are some mandatory meetings and reading of papers to consider.

There are nine mandatory meetings spread across a financial year, along with a variety of non-mandatory meetings. The more meetings you join, the more experience and knowledge you will gain and be able to use when carrying out your duties.

An estimated time commitment for public governors is about two days a month to attend meetings during business hours and membership engagement activities, and read reports and papers for meetings. Governors have also told us that the more involved you are, the more you get out of the role!

What qualities should a governor have?

Enthusiasm, commitment, an interest in health, and the ability to work as part of a team are the most important qualities. We will support all governors with their development, but would hope that anyone interested in becoming a governor would have some or all of the following qualities:

• An understanding and interest in health issues and a commitment to NHS values
• Good Interpersonal and communication skills
• Sufficient time and commitment to fulfil the role (including the ability to attend meetings during office hours)
• Sound, independent judgement, diplomacy and common sense
• The ability to grasp relevant issues and understand relationships between interested parties
• The ability to develop an understanding of the different legal duties and responsibilities of Governors and Board members.

How many Governors are there?

Making up our 29-member Council of Governors:

• We have 17 elected public governors representing four geographical constituencies (9 governors for Bristol, 3 for North Somerset, 3 for South Gloucestershire, and 2 for the rest of England & Wales)
• We have 6 elected staff governors representing four different staff groups (1 governor for Medical & Dental, 2 for Nursing & Midwifery, 1 for Other Clinical Healthcare Professionals and 2 for Non-clinical Staff)
• We have 6 appointed governors from special interest groups (1 from the Trust’s Joint Union Committee, 2 from the Trust’s Youth Involvement Group, 1 from Bristol City Council, 1 from the University of Bristol and 1 from the University of the West of England).

Who is eligible to become a governor?

Anyone can become a hospital governor and no particular experience or qualifications are required, although you must be 16 years of age or over and be an existing Foundation Trust member. You don't need to have been a patient at the hospital to be a member or a governor.

There are certain exceptions, for example you cannot become a Governor if you are bankrupt or have recent criminal convictions, for example. Our Constitution lists the exclusions in more detail (starting on page 11) and you can view the Trust’s Constitution on the reports and publications page of our website https://www.uhbw.nhs.uk/p/about-us/reports-and-publications.

How long will I be a Governor for?

Terms of office for elected governors are usually three years. Governors are then eligible to stand for re-election, to a maximum of three terms of office i.e. nine years maximum.

How do I apply to be a Governor?

To apply, go to our Nominations website and fill out the form. Nominations are open from Monday 3^rd February until Monday 3^rd March, so don’t delay!

Where can I find out more information?

Email us at foundationtrust@uhbw.nhs.uk or call 0117 342 3674 for more information or an informal chat.