St Andrew’s Healthcare is a thriving Charity with a proud history of helping individuals with mental health needs find hope. St Andrew’s is the country’s largest charitable provider of specialist mental healthcare and helps patients with some of the most complex, challenging mental health needs. The Northampton hospital opened in 1838, and it has built a reputation for transforming the lives of those affected with the most challenging of situations. Over 185 years later, the charitable purpose has remained almost unchanged: to relieve suffering, give hope and promote recovery. The Charity provides a range of services tailored to individuals living with complex mental health needs, both in hospital and in the community. Governor Member RoleThe role of Members (often referred to as Governors) within St Andrew’s is similar to that of an owner or shareholder, in that they have collective responsibility for how the Charity is run and do this by holding the Board of Directors/Trustees to account. Governors support in the achievement of the Charity’s Vision of “Imagining a society in which everyone living with mental health need is heard, valued and has a hope for their future” and its 2028 Mission of being a local, regional national and international leader in helping people with complex mental health need transform their lives.All Governors are unpaid, and their main role is to know that the Charity:Has a clear strategy and defined goals and objectives against which to measure performance
Prioritises patient outcomes
Is well run
Makes the best of its resources
Is open and accountable.
The Charity now has a number of classes of Governors: Full-time; Fixed-Term and Constituency Governors (Carer, Staff, Lived Experience and Community).Our current need1. We are currently seeking applicants for a new Community Governor role from within the communities surrounding our three main hospital locations, Essex, Birmingham and Northampton. Applicants should be representative of their local communities and may be involved in healthcare, education or community volunteering activities. Appointments will be for between one and three year initial terms and can be extended if agreed between the Governor and the Charity.2. We are currently seeking applicants for our new fixed term Governor roles. Appointments will be for an initial three year term and may be extended if agreed between the Governor and the Charity. Application Closing Date: 7 September 2025Interviews will be held on 27th & 30th October 2025MeetingsThe Court of Governors (Members) meets at least four times per year, with one being the Annual General Meeting (AGM). All meetings of the are usually planned at least a year in advance, with formal notice of the AGM being issued in writing at least 14 days in advance.At the AGM, Governor Members:Receive accounts for the previous financial year
Receive the Directors’ report
Accept retirements, appoint Directors and the Chairman for the coming year and confer thanks and honorary titles
Deal with any other matters raised with them.
At the scheduled (quarterly) meetings of the Court of Governors, attendees will be presented with papers and reports on the following:Chair update
CEO Report
Quality Update
Financial Performance Report
Governor Assurance Reports
Governor Visit Reports
Time CommitmentOverall, the Charity has an expectation that Governors will be required to give a total of at least 12 days per annum of their time attending meetings and engaging in other activities for and on behalf of the Charity. Governors will be required to:Attend at least two Governors meetings per year, with one being the AGM.
Undertake Ward or service visits, at least two visits each year.
Engage in other activities to support the Charity, to be agreed with the Charity.
Governors may also be asked to attend Charity Committees or Groups. If this is the case, some flexibility will be applied regarding their ward or service visits, as their contributions to the Charity are made in a different manner, however, it's important to emphasise that Governor visits remain a crucial means of gathering frontline staff feedback and utilising knowledge from Committee/Group meetings. It is preferred for all Governors to have a St Andrew’s email account to ensure they have access to Charity-wide communications, such as the ‘Must Read’ newsletters and the ‘Must Watch’ videos to keep informed. Additional ResponsibilitiesThe Charity is keen to ensure that its Governors play an active role within the Charity and is looking for Governors who make an active contribution by bringing their skills and experiences to the role. There are several ways in which Governors can get involved with the Charity, such as:Undertaking Ward or Service visits and feeding back information to the Charity to improve patient or carer experience
Being involved with the Patient Experience Team to ensure that the patient voice is heard
Attend BENS Patient Forum and Governance Groups or Committee meetings
Attend the Diversity and Inclusion Steering Committee
Engage with the Charity’s Carer Strategy, to develop the carer experience
Supporting the Charity’s Voluntary Services programme
Becoming a “befriender” to one of the Charity’s patients
Helping at the patients’ social club and with other activities
Mentoring senior staff
Supporting fund raising
Promoting the Charity within their networks
Offering skills and/or experience to the Charity as a “critical friend”
Other activities where a Governor could offer specific skills and experience.
Person SpecificationAny successful candidate for any of the classes of Governor is likely to possess some of the following:Experience and UnderstandingWorked at a senior level in the health or commercial sector ideally in a customer facing organisation or service sector
An understanding of, or worked in a senior capacity in the private, public or voluntary sectors
An appreciation of the requirements and constraints of running an organisation with charitable status, and which needs to meet high standards of accountability within a regulated sector
Current or recent experience of a mental health organisation, which may include personal or carer experience
Professional experience, such as Medical/Clinical (ideally mental health), Finance, Risk and Audit, Investments, Property or Estates, HR and Talent Management, Education and Academia, property or law, Technology, IT and Cyber, Legal, Fundraising, Research, Volunteering.
Personal AttributesCommitment to the ethos of St Andrew’s Healthcare. Governors should have a high degree of empathy with and understanding of what the Charity seeks to do and how it seeks to do it
Good communication skills and the ability to relate to a wide range of people and constituencies, both inside and outside the Charity
Good influencing skills, in relation to Members of the Court of Governors, the Board and the Executive
Capability to operate effectively and constructively beyond their own area of expertise, with willingness to learn
Effective strategic and political skills with an understanding of how to influence key decision-makers
Commitment to equal opportunities and the promotion of diversity
Independence of thought and judgement with personal integrity
Ability to work as a team member
Ability to play a strategic role to effect change successfully
Ability to evaluate and interpret information independently.
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