How you can make a difference

 

You can get involved in your local hospital by becoming a member and/or becoming a volunteer. For information on volunteering, please click here.

 

 

What is a member?

 

Foundation Trusts are a new way of working for the NHS that is not dictated by central government, working in co-operation with, and playing a central role in, the local community.

Hospital Trusts, like ourselves, now have members, who all have an interest in influencing the way that our local hospitals work. By becoming a member you can help shape our future, and the Trust welcomes your support and input. It is completely free of charge and there are no obligations on your part. Do be aware, however, that members do not receive any preferential treatment as patients or prospective employees.

Our members are an essential part of our future as an NHS Foundation Trust. Nearly 10,000 local people have already become members of Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust. Why not join them today and make a real difference to your community? Everyone aged 14 and over is eligible to join. Being a member means different things to different people. For some, it means that they just look forward to receiving regular information about the hospital through our members’ newsletter whereas others decide to stand as a representative on the Council of Governors.

 

It is important that the services we develop are right for the people in Portsmouth and the surrounding areas, and being a member gives you the opportunity to have a say in how the Trust is run. We therefore welcome your ideas and comments, as it is important that local people, patients and staff have a real say in how their hospital services are delivered.

As a member one of the most important things you will do is vote to elect new hospital Governors. As well as voting for Governors you can, if you so wish, stand for election to the Council of Governors yourself. By voting or standing for the Council of Governors you can have a direct influence over the direction of the Trust. No particular skills or qualifications are needed. When signing up as a member you are given the opportunity to indicate whether you are interested in becoming a Governor. For your guidance, please read this information.

It’s entirely up to you as to how involved you want to be as a member and we value any input you can provide. 

 

Taking care of your information

 

Members have the right to request that their details are not made available to the general public in the register of members. To do so please let the Membership Office know on 023 9228 6284 or email to member@porthosp.nhs.uk

If you would like more information or any further assistance, please contact the Membership Office.