NHS foundation trusts provide for greater local accountability to patients and service users, local people and NHS staff. The principles behind NHS foundation trusts build on the sense of ownership that many local people and staff feel for their hospital and other health services.
All NHS foundation trusts have a duty to engage with their local communities and encourage local people to become members of the organisation. NHS foundation trusts have to take steps to ensure that their membership is representative of the communities they serve.
As part of the application process, Birmingham Community Healthcare is required to set out detailed proposals for the minimum size and composition of our membership.
Anyone who lives in the West Midlands, works for the trust, or has been a patient or service user can become a member of an NHS foundation trust. This gives staff and local people a real stake in the future of the organisation.
Members can:
- receive information about the BCHC and be consulted on plans for future development of the trust and its services;
- elect representatives to serve on the council of governors; and
- stand for election to the council of governors.
The council of governors works with the Board of Directors to ensure that the trust delivers NHS care and acts in a way that is consistent with the terms of its authorisation. In this way, the council of governors plays a role in helping to set the overall direction of the organisation.
The council of governors can:
- appoint or remove the chairman and the other non-executive directors;
- approve an appointment (by the non-executive directors) of the chief executive;
- decide the remuneration and allowances, and the other terms and conditions of office, of the non-executive directors;
- appoint or remove the foundation trust’s auditor;
- be presented with the annual accounts, any report of the auditor on them and the annual report; and
- provide their views to the Board of Directors when it is preparing the foundation trust’s forward planning publications.
The Board of Directors of an NHS foundation trust is made up of both executive, for example the chief executive and finance director, and non-executive directors.
Birmingham Community Healthcare's consultation about becoming a Foundation Trust
The consultation period on our Foundation Trust proposals ran from September to December 2011 and we received more than 600 submissions and would like to thank everyone who took part.
Or you can click the small player arrow below to listen to the consultation podcast.
