It is time to bring out the ballot boxes and dust them down as The Royal Marsden gears up for the next Membership Council election for new Councillors.
And the message this year to Members is to stand up and be counted by voting and making a difference!
It is quite a large election this time with new Councillors required in different constituencies.
They are:
- Patient, East Elmbridge and Mid-Surrey
- Patient, Greater London (two to elect)
- Patient, Elsewhere in England (two to elect)
- Carer (two to elect)
- Public, Sutton and Merton
- Staff, nurse
- Staff, doctor
- Staff, other clinical professional
- Staff, non-clinical
Sam Greenhouse, Assistant Director – Organisation Development, who heads up the Foundation Trust Office, said: “Being a Foundation Trust is a great privilege for the hospital as it means that our patients, staff, carers and people in the local community have a greater say in how The Royal Marsden is run and moves forward.
“It is really important that Members vote in this election. It is a big election covering a number of constituencies and it is their chance to make a difference and contribute to the future of the hospital.”
How the election works
Voting packs will be sent out to all Members in the relevant election constituencies on Thursday 12 March and you will have until Tuesday 6 April to cast your votes. There will be clear instructions in the pack on how to vote – it is a very simple process!
All you have to do is write the figure 1 in the box next to the candidate you most wish to be elected, the figure 2 next to your second preference and 3 beside your third preference.
Then post the form back to the Electoral Reform Services (ERS) – it is freepost so it won’t cost you a penny!
The election results will be sent to the Trust by the ERS on Wednesday 7 April and we will announce the new Councillors that day on this website.
Find out more about the election
Role of the Membership Council
For those readers new to the hospital community, the Membership Council plays a significant role in the governance of the hospital and meets four times a year.
Their role is to hold the Board of Directors and senior management to account for the performance of the Trust and to represent their Members’ interest on strategic decisions and giving them a voice on important decisions.
In addition, among other roles and responsibilities, the Membership Council also appoints the Trust’s Chairman and Non-executive Directors and approves the appointment of hospital’s Chief Executive.