Membership

Make a difference today

Can I become a member?

As a patient, carer or local resident, you are eligible to become a member.

Membership is free and open to anyone over the age of 14 living in Southampton, Portsmouth or Hampshire.

What are the benefits of becoming a member?

By becoming a member you can:

have a say in what we do
help shape our future plans for services and the Trust
receive regular information about what we are doing
be involved in focus groups or surveys about our services
be invited to events and talks
elect Governors to represent your views
stand for election as a Governor yourself
be involved as much or as little as you wish.

You can decide how involved you would like to be. You might choose to receive updates, you might like to comment on our plans and take part in events. Alternatively, you may consider standing for election as a Governor on our Council of Governors. The choice is yours!

Why recruit members?

Foundation Trusts are still part of the NHS but they have greater freedom. They have been created so that people from the local community, patients, staff and partners can have a much larger say about the work we do and a much bigger influence in the way their local health services are run.

In becoming a Foundation Trust we will become a membership organisation. Our aim is to recruit 6,500 public and patient members who, along with 3,500 staff members, will elect a Council of Governors. The Council of Governors will advise our Board on how we should provide and improve services. This council will also include governors from partner organisations.

A Foundation Trust:

is accountable to the public in Southampton, Portsmouth and some parts of Hampshire – the local communities we serve
provides free care to patients,
must be financially sustainable
is part of the NHS and subject to inspection by the Independent Care Quality Commission
is overseen by an independent regulator – Monitor.

We are planning to become a Foundation Trust by 1 April 2013. Foundation Trusts are organisations which have members and Governors to help shape how services are run.

Join as a member today by clicking here.

Contact us

Please contact us today for further information about our membership programme.

Membership Office
Adelaide Health Centre
William Macleod Way
Millbrook
Southampton
SO16 4XE

Telephone: 023 8060 8889

Email: membership@solent.nhs.uk