Annual Report and Accounts - The Great Western Hospital

5.8.6 Membership Strategy
To encourage membership, the Trust has in place a Membership Strategy which is reviewed annually
to ensure that it reflects the needs of the members. The latest Membership Strategy approved in
November 2011, focuses on three key areas:
• How the Trust hopes to engage and offer more to our existing members.
• The future change in membership demographic due to the adoption of Wiltshire Community
Health Services and the mechanisms GWH will use to increase membership in the new
territories.
• The changes to the Trust’s Constitution in order for the Trust to be fully representative of the
new areas it will serve.
The Council of Governors has established a sub-group known as the Membership Working Group,
whose remit is to aim to increase and promote membership. The group meets quarterly and
deliberates mechanisms to increase membership, as well as how to market membership, including
tangible benefits that can be offered.
5.8.7 Membership development in 2011/12
In order to build a representative membership during 2011/12 the Trust undertook the following: -
• Attended 6 parish council meetings throughout Wiltshire to explain membership and
encourage participation in Trust activities;
• The Governance Officer hosts monthly recruitment drives in the hospital atrium;
• Revised the membership application form so that it is easier for applicant members to return
to the Trust
• Hosted 6 Constituency meetings, including at community hospital venues
• The planning of a larger scale member’s event planned for the summer of 2012
• Hosted an hospital Open Day
Youth membership continues to be the least represented age category. In order to encourage
membership amongst the young, the Governance Officer is working closely with the Academy to plan
and deliver two experience events for GCSE and A Level students interested in healthcare. It is
envisaged that one of these events will be held at a community hospital. These events are planned
for autumn 2012.
In the last twelve months the Trust has worked on increasing its members as well as engaging its’
members. The membership application form has been revised to incorporate a method of return
delivery, making it easier for people to return to the Trust. The Open Day hosted over 30 stalls and
was well attended. The Governance Officer has attended Parish Council and forum meetings in order
to talk about the structures of Foundation Trusts and the opportunities to get involved. The
Governance Officer hosts a stall in the atrium of the GWH on a monthly basis talking to visitors and
patients and recruiting members.
The Trust acknowledges that the number of new members has not increased by the estimated
numbers projected in the Annual Plan 2010/11. Membership levels appear to have levelled off, with
new recruited members replacing leaving members.
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