AN original governor of the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, after it became a new foundation hospital in 2004, has been re-elected to serve a final term of office. Lin Fryer, 56, of Vicarage Road, Sidmouth, worked in social health and care for 30 years a

AN original governor of the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, after it became a new foundation hospital in 2004, has been re-elected to serve a final term of office. Lin Fryer, 56, of Vicarage Road, Sidmouth, worked in social health and care for 30 years and is "honoured" to be one of three original governors remaining. Governors work closely with the hospital's board of directors, facilitating communication bet-ween members of the hospital and the board. "People want to be more informed and take more responsibility as well," she said. "We don't make judgments. If someone has a personal issue we wouldn't try to fix it but make sure the hospital has a process in place to ensure the person can go through the system in as clear and simple a way as possible." Mrs Fryer described the governors as a "fail safe" to which the board of directors was responsible. "It is very important for all governors to be proactive." The public was not used to "taking a positive, active role" in their own health care but would become more involved in taking ownership. "Now people are able to question treatment and access information. It is a really exciting change.