Council of Governors

Our 37 governors come from all walks of life. Some are people who live in local boroughs or more widely within England and have an interest in the NHS. Others are people who use our services or care for someone who uses them. Some of our staff are governors. We also have governors who represent our local Councils and voluntary and community groups. Being a governor is voluntary. The common ground for everyone is an interest in Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and the wide range of services we provide. 

The Council of Governors is chaired by Trust Chairman, Andy Trotter, with Lead Governor Richard Diment as Vice Chair. They meet four times a year and the meetings are open to the public.

Governors give up their time voluntarily, but are supported and given training to help them gain the skills to contribute effectively and understand the way the trust works. 

Being a governor is a serious and important role. The statutory duties of the Council of Governors are:

  • to hold the trust's non-executive directors individually and collectively to account for the performance of the Board of Directors.
  • to represent the interests of the members of the trust as a whole and the interests of the public.

The Board of Directors and Council of Governors work closely together. The governors agree the strategic direction of the trust and its services and represent the views of the trust’s members.

Our Council of Governors

We have 37 governors on our Council of Governors as follows:

Public constituencies:

  • Bexley (3 governors)
  • Bromley (3 governors)
  • Greenwich (3 governors)
  • Rest of England (1 governor)

Service User/Carer constituency is divided into seven classes:

  • Bromley adult (2 governors)
  • Bexley adult (2 governors)
  • Greenwich adult (2 governors)
  • Forensic and prisons (1 governor)
  • Children (2 governors)
  • Learning disability (1 governor)
  • Carers (1 governor)

Our staff constituency is divided into seven classes:

  • Bexley Adult (1 governor)
  • Bromley Adult (1 governor)
  • Greenwich Adult (1 governor)
  • Children (1 governor)
  • Learning Disability (1 governor)
  • Forensic & Prison (1 governor)
  • Corporate and Partnership Organisations (1 governor)

We have 9 appointed governors:

  • Local Authority (3 governors)
  • Partner organisations (6 governors)

How to contact a governor

You can:

  • email oxl-tr.governors@nhs.net
  • call 01322 625752 and leave a message for a governor
  • write to a governor c/o The Trust Secretary's office, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust, Pinewood House, Pinewood Place, Dartford, Kent DA2 7WG