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Our Council of Governors acts as a link between service users, carers, staff, the general public and the Trust's Board of Directors.
They support the Board of Directors in setting the long-term vision for our organisation, and hold the non-executive directors to account for the actions of the Board. Our Board of Directors has a duty to consult, and listen to the views of, the Council of Governors.
Originally from Warwickshire, I worked in the NHS for over 38 years, mainly as a nurse but latterly as an adult psychotherapist in mental health. I undertook RMN training at the Maudsley and Bethlem hospitals in 1987. In 1994, with the then consultant, I set up the Personality Disorders Service at the Maudsley Hospital, the Cawley Centre, for people with long-standing difficulties such as depression, anxiety and self-harm, which I ran until 2016 when I took early retirement (this became the Three Boroughs Service in 2017).
I now work for a mental health charity and supervise mental health professionals. A key reason I want to be a governor is to continue to raise awareness of the serious issues surrounding mental health, particularly the shortage of effective treatment options, the lack of understanding on the part of many, and the fact that people are less likely to get to the point of feeling suicidal if they talk about what’s going on in their lives. Evidence shows that most people, especially men, are much less likely to attempt to take their own lives if they have told someone how they feel.
I am an active member of my local Labour Party and in Unison. For me, the Trust represents everything that I believe in, in terms of research, development and excellent practice in mental health care.
If you have a question for your governors, please email governors@slam.nhs.uk
The Council of Governors is made up of:
The Council's responsibilities include:
The governors review includes information about the role of governors and their activities over the preceding year:
Governors review 2020-21 (PDF)
Governors are elected to the Council of Governors from the public, service user, carer and staff constituencies. Elected governors serve a three-year term on the Council of Governors. Governors are also appointed by partner organisations.
If you are interested in becoming a governor, vacancies will be advertised here or you can contact us to find our more via governors@slam.nhs.uk