By Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
The Northumberland Hills Hospital Board of Directors is inviting expressions of interest from local individuals interested in volunteering with the board as Community Members.
The announcement describes this as a unique and rewarding volunteer opportunity for anyone interested in local health-care delivery who has experience as a patient or caregiver.
The hospital board consists of volunteers from its West Northumberland catchment area, each with a unique mix of skills and work/life experiences which help enable the board to meet the responsibilities expected of it in the Province of Ontario. These include:
providing strategic direction to the hospital’s management team;
selecting the Chief Executive Officer and Chief of Staff, and evaluating performance;
providing oversight to the physician-credentialing process; and
monitoring the operational and financial performance of the hospital
As a key part of its commitment to providing meaningful opportunities for public input into the board’s decision-making processes, and as a method of succession planning for the board, the NHH Board of Directors regularly recruits Community Members to serve on key board committees. Six different working committees report to the board, and Community Members currently serve on four of these, in addition to participation in full board discussions.
Time Commitment
The annual time commitment may vary from year to year. As a general practice, the expectation for Community Members is participation in one committee meeting and one full board meeting (approximately two hours each, or four hours in total) every other month, from September through June. Participation throughout the pandemic has been virtual, but it is expected that board business will in time return to in-person meetings—generally early morning and early evening. Community Members can serve a maximum of five one-year terms.
What comes after Community Member service?
Community Members may be appointed to the board as a director when a vacancy occurs. The skills, interests and lived experience of each Member are matched with the board needs at the time, as is the longstanding tradition at NHH (as documented in board bylaws) of ensuring representation from across the West Northumberland region that NHH serves.
Wondering if you would make a good Community Member?
The NHH board is committed to the NHH core values of integrity, quality, respect, compassion and teamwork. Diverse teams lead to better decision-making and, with that in mind, the board is looking forward to welcoming new Community Members who share these values and who have a commitment to the shared purpose of the hospital – “Exceptional patient care. Every time.”
In extending the call for interest, Board Chair Pam Went recognized that life is busy.
“This work is rewarding and important. We sincerely hope that you or others you know may be encouraged to take the time this month to learn more about volunteer opportunities with the NHH board.”
Went refers anyone interested to the Expression of Interest form and a related Frequently Asked Questions document available now in the Board section of the NHH website.
“Please consider completing an Expression of Interest, and join us for a short Virtual Board Open House on Thursday, April 28, at 7 p.m. to learn more, meet current Board and Community members and ask any questions you may have,” she said.
“While the latest intake of new Community Members is scheduled to be completed by mid-June 2022, in time for the introduction of new Members at the board’s Annual Meeting on June 28, the Board welcomes interest from Community Members at any time of the year.”
The Zoom link for interested potential Community Members are below and at www.nhh.ca, and everyone is welcome.
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81721349839?pwd=bUdoOFZFcGkySE43M25QcHlMU0ZmUT09
Meeting ID: 817 2134 9839
Passcode: 901657
