Elmbridge Public - Nigel Stapleton | Public Governors

I have been the Public Governor for Elmbridge since May 2023. From June 2023, I have also been chairing a subcommittee which assists the Council of Governors in gaining the assurance they need about the quality of the patient safety and care experience across the Trust. This has meant that I have closer involvement than most Governors in meeting with patients. It is really satisfying to hear that all but a tiny minority of them admire the immense commitment of the Trust’s staff at all levels and the quality of care they are providing. They truly work as a team, which is not the case in many organisations of such size!

My wife and I have been living at the same home in Elmbridge since 1986 and our two children were born there and lived with us until they went to university. Since semi-retirement, I have been active in the local community including as Chair of Governors at a local primary school, Trustee of the Multi Academy Trust of which that school is a member and Chair of our Residents Association. 

Everybody living or visiting UK is likely to need care from the NHS during their lifetime. Even if they use private medical care, they will most probably require NHS support in emergencies for acute care. COVID served as a strong reminder of our reliance upon - and the wonderful commitment provided by - those working for the NHS. That is what prompted me to want to become a Governor of my nearby NHS Trust. 

Governors are the third tier of a NHS Foundation Trust’s governance structure. Their most important, and a particularly challenging, responsibility is to hold the Trust’s Board to account. I consider myself well placed so to do, because during my career I have worked at both Executive and Board levels. I have been Finance Director and later Co-Chief Executive of RELX, a FTSE Top 30 international company. Subsequently, I have been Board Chair of several publicly quoted UK Companies, the Chair of a public sector independent regulator and a non-executive board member of several other publicly quoted companies in the financial services, communications, and manufacturing sectors.