News@NLaG

Together we speak . . . Together we speak . . .
Members’ corner
Governors out and about signing
new members up to join Trust
A recruitment push to sign up new
members to the Trust has taken place.
Governors, along with staff from the
membership office, manned stands at all
three of the Trust’s hospitals in order to
spread the word about the benefits of
membership.
In just a few hours they managed to sign
up 50 new members.
Alison Hurley, Trust membership manager,
said: “The stands helped us promote the
benefits of being a member and gave us
the chance to have a chat with visitors,
patients and carers.”
The benefits of being a member include:
• Being able to elect governors
• Being able to stand as a governor
• Receiving regular information about
our activities, such as newsletters
• Providing opinions and being
kept informed of plans for future
developments
Susan Diack, public governor for Goole
and Howdenshire, is stepping down but
hopes to continue attending member
meetings.
Why did you become a governor?
I thought I was going to be made
redundant and felt it would be an
opportunity to take up my interest in the
NHS.
What have you enjoyed most during
your time as a governor?
Working alongside all the other governors
as a team. Helping people to try and
resolve any concerns or issues they
may have. Being involved in PLACE
assessments and working with the Trust
chairman Jim Whittingham. He has really
supported me which I really appreciate
and I would like to thank him for that.
What are you most proud of during
your term of office?
Watching Goole hospital flourish has
been a privilege especially as local people
no longer have to constantly travel to
Scunthorpe or Grimsby as much. Having
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Together
Governor Max Withrington with member of the public Sue Nicholson
• Being involved and consulted
on issues such as changes and
improvements to services
• Acting as an ambassador for their
community or interest group
• Attending member events
Retiring governor says role is ‘extremely rewarding’
played even a small part, alongside other
governors, to enable this to happen
has been extremely rewarding. I have
also loved playing a part in the future
of Goole hospital through the clinical
commissioning group’s Healthy Lives
Healthy Futures programme.
I also feel privileged to have taken part
in working with the Trust to help move
it out of special measures. It is thanks to
leadership of the chief executive and all of
the staffs support that we managed this.
What have you least enjoyed?
There is a lot of paperwork!
Have you told your friends and family
about Trust membership and how to join?
http://www.nlg-membersportal.co.uk/
For more information contact the
membership office on 01724 387946 or
email nlg-tr.foundationtrustoffice@nhs.net
How have things changed during
your time as a governor?
Governors have the opportunity to work
to ensure members’ voices are heard and
I have felt very privileged to have been in
the position to do just that.
Do you think governors make a
difference?
I feel I have made a difference, being
quite well known, in that other members
decided to stand as governor themselves
and Goole and Howdenshire members
now have three governors to represent
them within NLaG.
What are the main challenges for the
future?
The Trust faces a very challenging period
financially and struggling to recruit
medical staff and nurses but I do feel with
the experience of the Board of Directors
and the chief executive the Trust will work
hard to ensure the hospitals across NLaG
will continue to ensure that all the services
will be delivered with the safety of patients
overall being the priority.
Alison Hurley, membership manager
Public governor elections
- make your vote count
Elections are now in full swing for
NLaG’s Council of Governors.
People are being urged to have their say
this month on who they want to represent
them as a Trust public governor.
Voting closes on Monday November 16
for public governor seats and the results
will be unveiled the following day.
As a Foundation Trust we are accountable
to our staff, service users, carers, and
public members.
Through a Council of Governors that
represents our members and partner
organisations, we have an opportunity to
encourage greater staff, service user, carer
and public involvement in shaping the
future of the organisation.
The Trust does not choose its governors
- they are elected by the membership.
Alison Hurley, membership manager, said:
“Public governors represent the voice of
the people in their constituencies, protect
and promote their interests, and scrutinise
Trust performance and decisions to ensure
they are in the best interests of patients.”
She urged members to have their say
and choose their local governor by voting
before 5pm on November 16.
The Trust is running elections for various
public governor vacancies as follows:
• East and West Lindsey — one seat
• Goole and Howdenshire — two
seats
• North East Lincolnshire — three
seats
• North Lincolnshire — two seats.
Alison said: “We will again be using
electronic voting for our elections where
possible, so please make sure that you are
registered as a member and we have your
email address.”
If you are not a member and want to join
then go to:
http://www.nlg.nhs.uk/about/
membership/join/ or call the membership
office on 01724 387946.
Elections results will be available on the
Trust website on Tuesday November 17:
http://www.nlg.nhs.uk/about/
membership/elections/
Dates for
your diary
Tuesday
November
10
3pm to 5pm, member drop-in
session, Coffee Bean, Goole hospital
Thursday
November
12
3pm to 6pm, Goole governor and
member forum, lecture room, Goole
hospital
Tuesday
17
November
2.30pm to 3pm, member drop-in
session, and 3pm to 6pm, governor
and member forum, the chambers,
Pittwood House, Scunthorpe
Thursday
November
26
2.30pm to 3pm, member drop-in
session, and 3pm to 6pm, governor
and member forum, room 1A01,
Grimsby Institute, Nuns Corner,
Grimsby
Tuesday
December
3pm to 5pm, member drop-in
session, Coffee Bean, Goole hospital
Have your contact
details changed?
We want to keep in touch with all
of our members, so, don’t forget to
let us know if your contact details
changed including your email
address. To update your details
send us a quick email to nlg-tr.
foundationtrustoffice@nhs.net or
ring (01724) 387946.
we care, we respect, we deliver 15
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