Get Involved - Become a Member
The Members
Nowadays, Trusts like ours have 'members'. These are people who have an interest in influencing the way that our local hospitals work. Currently we have 8,500 members who are members of the public and another 5,300 who are our own staff. Any citizen from the age of eleven upwards can become a member of the Trust and membership lasts for life.
Members can fulfil a variety of roles, depending on how much they want to be involved. The role can include:
- voting in governor elections
- receiving and giving feedback on newsletters, annual reports and other documents
- acting as a yardstick of public opinion about the Trust’s plans
- fundraising
- volunteering
- participating in questionnaires and surveys
- and many other roles too.
Members will also elect at least half of the Governors that will make up our Assembly of Governors. Anyone interested in becoming a member should contact us by:
- writing to
NHS Foundation Trust
FREEPOST RLZK-HCEE-ZGGB
Wirral University Teaching Hospital
Arrowe Park Hospital
Wirral
CH49 5PE
- calling the Foundation Trust Office on 0800 0121 356
- email wih.tr.Foundation@nhs.net
- completing the application form
What is a Public Member?
Someone with a genuine interest in their local hospital, who wants to learn more about our work and help us to improve healthcare services.
Together with our Staff Members, Public Members are the people to whom we as an NHS Foundation Trust are accountable.
What is their main role?
Public Members can vote for or stand for election as one of the Public Governors, each representing their local area.
Together with Staff Governors and Stakeholder Governors, nominated by our partner organisations, they form the Assembly of Governors.
The Assembly appoints Wirral Hospital’s Chairman and Non Executive Directors and approves the appointment of the Chief Executive and other Executive Directors. It works with the Board of Directors to shape the NHS Foundation Trust’s future plans.
What else do they do?
Public Members can be involved as little or as much as they want. They can receive updates on our work, attend meetings or open days, join discussion groups, take part in surveys or even help to fundraise and volunteer.
It costs nothing to become a Public Member. However, they do not receive any preferential treatment as patients or prospective employees.
Who can become a Public Member?
Anyone from Wirral and surrounding areas over the age of 11 (although only Public Members aged 16 and over can stand for election as a Public Governor). You can become a Public Member even if you are a member of another NHS Foundation Trust. And, so long as they are eligible, everyone in your household can sign up to become Public Members.
Who can’t become a Public Member?
Employees of Wirral Hospital cannot become Public Members because alternative arrangements are in place for them to be Staff Members.
What do I do next?
Fill in the on-line form (Public Membership Application Form) and follow the instructions to submit it electronically. If your application is approved you will receive a welcome pack in due course.
If you would prefer to complete a paper copy/ require additional copies, you can
How will I be kept in touch with what is going on at the Trust?
The Trust produces a regular newsletter at least three times a year called Public Membership News. Public Members will receive the newsletter by post.
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Arrowe Park Hospital, Arrowe Park Road, Upton, Wirral, Merseyside CH49 5PE
Switchboard: (0151) 678 5111