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Council of Governors

The Board of Governors shapes the strategic direction of University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB), holding the directors to account on behalf of all Trust members.

Our 37 governors, elected by our members, are key to UHB's success as a NHS Foundation Trust.

Their role is very important as they appoint the most senior leaders of the Trust, help shape its future strategy and oversee its performance. As a result, they have a major influence on the quality of health services that the public can expect to receive from us; contributing to how the Trust delivers services and how it can improve the future health and prosperity of our city and its citizens.

The Board of Governors meets quarterly. Ultimately, the role of the governors is to help ensure that the Trust serves the needs of its communities and patients as effectively as possible.

There are three categories of governors, and the Trust Chairman, Sir Albert Bore, is also Chair of the Board of Governors.

Public governors are drawn from eight constituencies, with each formed from either one or two of the Parliamentary constituencies in Birmingham. Each has either one or two governors in broad proportion to the use of the Trust's hospitals by residents of these areas. Public governors can be patients or non-patients but they do need to live in the constituency area.

Patient governors can live in Birmingham or anywhere else in the UK. The only requirement is that they be current or former patients or carers - possibly people who have previously used our specialist and regional services.
In addition to those governors elected by the public, patients and staff members, a number of key organisations that work closely with the Trust appoint representatives to be on the Board of Governors. These appointed representatives are known as stakeholder governors.