Health is our most precious asset. Good health enables us to live happy, fulfilling lives and to achieve our potential. It fuels our prosperity – a healthy and productive labour force is the engine that powers our economy. And it helps to build a stronger society by enabling us to play a full part in family life, make social connections and contribute to our communities. Yet good health remains out of the reach of too many people in the UK.

As an independent charitable organisation committed to building a healthier UK, The Health Foundation shines a light on what needs to be done to improve health and care for the UK population.

We inform policy at a national level through our research and analysis. We also give grants to support those working at the front line to innovate and improve care and fund initiatives to improve the health of local populations. Our aspiration is to use what we know works on the ground to inform effective policymaking and enable systemic change. By sharing what we learn, collaborating with others and building people’s skills and knowledge, we aim to make a difference and build a healthier population.

THE ROLE

Over the next 18 months three of our governors will be stepping down and we would like to recruit three new governors, people who share our goal of better health and care for people in the UK. You will add to the Board’s collective expertise and perspective through your own specialism in either organisational change and development, technology and AI, and the clinical or academic research environment, where we would like to bolster the experiences of the governor community. 

We recognise the value that diversity of experience and thought brings to leadership and governance, particularly with respect to our mission to build a healthier UK. The more diverse the professional and lived expertise of our governors, the better able to understand and navigate the nuance and complexities within health and social care for different communities.  

We have identified three diverse groups where we would like to encourage applications – in alignment with our recently published EDI strategy. We want to maintain the balance between men and women amongst our governor community. We also want to increase representation of people from Black and ethnic minority backgrounds and recruit more people with disabilities across our broad leadership community. As part of this commitment, we particularly welcome applications from these groups. 

We would also encourage applications from those who have the skills and experience to support the Foundation at governor level and are at a developing stage of their career to apply. 

All of our governors demonstrate an open and engaging communication style with an attention to detail and willingness to work alongside other members of the board and committees in pursuing our shared objectives.

This is a particularly rewarding time to join us, as we embark on our new strategy and look forward to the next phase of our development. With the NHS and social care system under pressure to meet people’s needs, improvements in life expectancy stalling and deep inequalities in health holding back potential, the need for our work has never been greater. Your personal contribution will help shape the future of health and care across the nation.