Governors will generally communicate with Monitor via the trust’s chair. However, there may be instances where it would not be appropriate for the chair to contact Monitor, or for Monitor to contact the chair (for example, in relation to the appointment of the chair). In such situations, we advise that the lead governor should communicate with Monitor. The role of lead governor is set out in Your Statutory Duties: A Reference Guide for NHS Foundation Trust Governors.
The existence of a lead governor does not, in itself, prevent any governor making contact with Monitor directly if they feel it is necessary; please see the contact us page for how to do this. However, we encourage governors to deal with any issues directly with their board of directors wherever possible.
If an NHS foundation trust is in significant breach of its terms of authorisation, we will involve the lead governor, ensuring that the council of governors has Monitor's view on the progress the trust is making in addressing identified concerns and failings. This should assist the council of governors in holding the board of directors to account.
For governors who want to understand more about Monitor's role, we have published a document called Guide to Monitor for NHS Foundation Trust Governors.