Our governors play an important role in making sure that the Trust and its services are being run effectively and meeting the needs of local residents.

You can read more about the Council of Governors and how to get involved, below.

Every NHS Foundation Trust has a Council of Governors - a statutory body established under the NHS Act 2006, which forms a key part of the Trust’s governance structure.  

The Council of Governors provides an important role in accountability, oversight and public engagement. It is not responsible for day to day management of the organisation, which sits with the Board of Directors.

The Council of Governors is made up of the number of governors as set out in the Trust’s constitution. Governors are either elected by Trust members (public or staff), or appointed by organisations closely linked with Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust. 

At Kingston and Richmond NHS Foundation Trust, governors represent the following local constituencies: Kingston, Richmond, Elmbridge, Wandsworth, Merton, Sutton, Rest of Surrey and Greater London.

The Council of Governors has a number of statutory duties and responsibilities. It’s principal roles are to appoint the Trust’s Chair and other Non-Executive Directors, and to hold the Non-Executive Directors, both individually and collectively, to account for the performance of the Board of Directors. The Council of Governors also represents the interests of members and the public.

In addition, the Council of Governors is responsible for approving the process carried out for the appointment of the Chief Executive, appointing the Trust’s external auditor, receiving the Trust’s Annual Report and Accounts, and being consulted on the Trust’s forward plans and strategic priorities.  

The Council of Governors is made up of ‘elected’ and ‘appointed’ governors. 

Elected governors are chosen by the public and by staff; appointed governors are appointed by stakeholder organisations the Trust has specified in its Constitution.

The role of an elected governor is to represent the interests of members and the wider public. This is achieved though gathering and sharing local feedback and drawing on their own experience.  

The role of the appointed governor is to contribute to Council of Governor meetings from the perspective of an external stakeholder body, for example, a local authority or university, and to feedback information received on the Trust’s performance, challenges, risks and its overall strategy.  

Governor terms are usually three years. 

Our governors are an important and vital link between the Trust and the people within our communities. Not only do our governors represent the interests of their communities and the public as a whole, but they also help the Trust in engaging more effectively on our Trust priorities and decisions.

Governors have a vital role in providing a link between the Trust and its members, patients and the wider community. In doing so, they:

  • Promote the Trust in an ambassadorial role
  • Receive and discuss information on performance, challenges, key risks and overall strategy
  • Share information on performance and changes with members
  • Feed back to the Trust on the views of the members, patients and the public

Governors are responsible for the appointment of the Non-Executive Directors (including the Chair). They undertake this duty in a variety of ways - some examples include observing Trust Board meetings, as well as contributing thoughts to the Trust's strategy and plans.

Governors provide their time, expertise and services as volunteers, and are not paid.

Governors are elected by members of the Trust, for a term of up to three years. Governors may stand for re-election, subject to the Trust’s Constitution and election arrangements.  

To stand for election as a public governor, you must be Trust member in one of our public constituencies (this means you must live in the geographical area) and you must be aged 16 or over. Find out more about becoming a member.

Staff governors are elected by eligible staff members. Appointed governors are nominated by partner organisation as stated in the Trust’s Constitution.

Governors should expect to commit time across the year for meetings, reading papers, engagement activities and development opportunities. 

The Council of Governors meet at least of 4 times (not including the AGM) in each financial year.  

Governors are expected to attend the Council of Governors meetings and prepare in advance by reading the papers. 

Governors are expected to attend at least 2 Governor Engagement Sessions per year. These provide patients, volunteers, staff and other visitors with an opportunity to give verbal feedback on any aspect of their experience at the Trust and support governors to carry out their representative role effectively.  These sessions are normally 2 hours (10am - 12pm or 12pm - 4pm).

Governors are expected to attend 2 Non-Executive/Governor Walkabouts per year. Walkabouts are planned visits to services and departments across the site and are led by the Deputy Chief Nurse and joined by a Non-Executive Director and 2 governors. These sessions are normally a 2-hour slot.

Governors are expected to attend one or more community engagement events e.g. local fairs and community conversations, and participate in fundraising projects/activities, making use of their own community networks. This will include working in collaboration with the Trust's volunteering team to: 

  • Increase Trust membership 
  • Raise the profile of volunteers and governors in its serving communities

Governors can also be asked to engage and contribute to the Trust newsletter and participate in service focus groups.

Governors provide their time, expertise and services as volunteers, and are not paid.

Results from our latest governor elections (2025) can be viewed below:

The Council of Governors meets quarterly. To access the papers for this meeting, please visit our Publications and Papers pages.