As a membership organisation, member involvement is our lifeblood. Members are responsible for steering the direction and content of our work, and ensuring that we meet their needs.

We involve members in three ways: by type of organisation, by region, and by specific issue.

Trustees

Members are elected as trustees, who make up the overarching governing body of the Confederation. Trustees are elected from members of Council.

Council

Council is the representative body that brings together all types of members and steers our work programme. Any chair or chief executive of a member organisation can be nominated as a council member. Elections are held every spring.

Member forums and networks

We host forums or networks for chairs and chief executives of each type of member organisation. They provide members with dedicated support, and a focused voice for their sector with which they can identify need and influence policy.

Regional activity

We host regional membership meetings twice a year in each SHA area. These provide members with regional networking opportunities, as well as the chance to hear from a senior member of the Confederation board and other senior speakers from national and local organisations.

Policy committees and working groups

To ensure that our work is driven by members, we often establish policy committees or working groups to involve members in our main work programmes. We have a number of standing committees, but are increasingly moving towards having a range of task-and-finish groups to drive projects forward.

Specialist networks

We host a number of networks that provide members with access to specialist knowledge and networking. These include the Future Healthcare Network and the Health Services Research Network.

Spokespeople

We involve members in our external relations whenever it is appropriate. Members act as media spokespeople on a range of issues, and we provide media training where necessary. We also involve members in many of our government and parliamentary contact programmes to ensure that our key contacts hear direct from members.

Electronic bulletins

We keep members aware of our work programmes, and involve them in specific issues, through a series of e-bulletins. These include our weekly bulletin Interchange Alert.