Communication and Engagement Strategy 2011-2014

1 North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust Communication and Engagement Strategy 2011 - 2014 . 1. Contents 1. Executive Summary 2. Introduction 3. Situation Analysis 4. Communication and Engagement Objectives 5. Communication and Engagement Principles 6. Reputation Management Principles 7. Strategic Positioning 8. Stakeholders and Audiences 9. Key Messages 10. Key Topics 11. Channels and Tools 12. Roles and Responsibilities 13. Monitoring and Evaluation 14. Key Risks 15. Next Steps 16. Implementation Appendices Appendix 1: Delivery Plan Appendix 2: SWOT Analysis Appendix 3: PEST analysis Appendix 4: Our Stakeholders Appendix 5: Stakeholder Analysis Appendix 6: Patient Experience Toolkit Appendix 7: Media Policy Appendix 8:Crisis Communications and Business Continuity Appendix 9: Glossary Author: Elizabeth Kay, Head of Communications and Reputation Management VS: 2. 2. 1. Executive Summary This is the Communication and Engagement recognise that effective Communication is key Strategy for North Cumbria University to the ongoing reputation management of the Hospitals NHS Trust.

2 It sets out the overall Trust and the services it provides. framework of how the Trust intends to This ever-increasing pace and scope of communicate and engage with its audiences change facing the NHS means all those over the next three years ( 2011 - 2014 ). involved in providing hospital care and related North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS services need to work together in a culture Trust is the local provider of acute hospital of mutual trust, to ensure the delivery of the care for 340,000 patients in north Cumbria. highest-quality of care as well as value for Our strategic aims describe how we will drive money. improvements in service quality for local The need to communicate and engage people. well with our staff, the public, patients and Based on research and best practice, this users of our services, partners and key Strategy aims to directly support the delivery stakeholders is central to the success of our strategic aims. of the organisation. Through effective The Trust is committed to improving Communication and Engagement we can Communication and Engagement and manage, motivate, influence, explain and understands the importance of clear, honest, create conditions for change.

3 Timely and relevant Communication . Good Communication is more than an exchange Communication is essential for the effective of information. It involves two-way written functioning of the organisation and to and verbal Communication but also involves maintain a good reputation for delivering managing relationships. It is as much high-quality care. The Trust recognises that about attitude and behaviour as it is about Communication and Engagement is a key part delivering messages. of its overarching Governance Framework Good and bad Communication , or the to ensure the delivery of safe and effective decision to communicate or not, can have patient care. a serious impact on public confidence, staff Over the next few years, the NHS faces the morale and the reputation of the organisation. challenge of driving up the quality of care Our organisational values are at the heart of and improving patient experience, whilst this Strategy in ensuring we provide quality also achieving levels of sustained efficiency care and be a good place to work.

4 And good management of all services. In Communicating and engaging with patients, this environment good Communication and public, staff, our partners and other Engagement is crucial. It is also important to organisations is part of our every-day work 3. and involves everyone within the Trust. from our staff (via the Trust Partnership Forum It is everyone's responsibility to ensure and Communication events) shows: Communication and Engagement is delivered The need to continue using a wide range of and that our values are adopted in our daily Communication methods as one-size does work. not fit all This Strategy recognises the need to put The need to entrench the Trust's vision, patients and the public at the heart of values and strategic aims within the our Communication and to give greater organisation and our stakeholders emphasis on improving Communication and The need to improve and support more Engagement with our staff to create a well face-to-face communications with a range informed workforce which, in turn, is able to of audiences communicate and engage effectively with The need to engage senior managers to patients, the public and other organisations.

5 Communicate widely and to involve their Everything we do in the Trust is aimed at staff in decision-making (NHS Staff Survey improving the experience that our patients 2009/10). have of our services. All our patients should This Strategy will create a framework for feel confident that we provide safe, effective developing effective Communication plans that and compassionate care in the best possible support and underpin national policy, as set out environment. In order to do this, we need to in the Government's White Paper Equity and have Communication with our patients and excellence:liberating the NHS, together with carers and understand what matters to them. the organisation's own strategic objectives to We need to work, listen and learn from our create a climate for change in developing and patients, families and carers to make sure that improving hospital services for the patients of the services we provide improve in response to north Cumbria. their views and needs. A communications team with specialist This Strategy therefore, also outlines how the knowledge of the media and internal and experience of our patients will be captured external Communication skills, has been as part of improving Communication and developed at the Trust.

6 The investment into this Engagement resource reflects a corporate commitment to It describes the Communication tools available support, develop and facilitate Communication to the Trust and the outcomes of any reviews and Engagement across the organisation. and research (including the NHS Staff Survey) The team is not a substitute for the action on the best ways of communicating and which and commitment required of every member of methods have proved to be successful. staff at all levels of the organisation to ensure It describes the importance of engaging Communication and Engagement takes place. with our patients and the public and how we This Strategy is a living document. It will be can place people at the heart of our care. updated regularly as the Trust refines its It includes a Patient Experience Toolkit for strategic plans and we learn more about the delivering this important aspect of this Strategy . needs of particular groups and how we can The over-riding features of recent feedback best communicate and engage with them.

7 4. 2. Introduction This Communication and Engagement Strategy quality patient care. Dialogue requires that replaces the Trust's first Communication Communication is two-way and interactive;. Strategy of 2005. It also replaces the Trust's constructive dialogue suggests that Patient and Public Involvement Strategy of problems are accompanied by suggestions 2005 and provides a new Patient Experience for improvement Toolkit that will provide a new dynamic The Communications Department will framework. facilitate the flow of information by This is to ensure that Communication and broadcasting' co-ordinating central Engagement is taken to another level in messages and sharing them with staff our organisation and delivers significant through corporate channels, and listening'. Communication improvements for our staff, creating and monitoring channels for patients and stakeholders. feedback The Communications Department will Staff provide Trust-wide and local opportunities Our staff have consistently told us that for managers and their teams to recognise Communication and Engagement is important achievement, share good practice, explain to them (NHS Staff Surveys) and they want new policies and projects to see more face-to-face Communication The Trust will involve staff participation delivered by their line-managers.

8 Through communications involvement Senior managers should make Communication in developing and implementing policy and a matter of priority for their staff ensuring in improving the way in which healthcare is that all Communication issued by the Trust is provided. It will do this through systematic circulated and explained during face-to-face consultation using established procedures, meetings. supplemented where this may be appropriate It is unacceptable for any line-manager to exclude staff by failing to communicate well The Communications Department will and keep their team informed. There are clear review the effectiveness of internal lines of responsibilty for internal Communication communications at regular intervals, in this Strategy to ensure: evaluating the impact they have and making improvements, especially where proposals The Trust fosters a culture in which come directly from colleagues in the Trust sharing information and knowledge is an expectation and continuous improvement of Communication is the norm The Trust develops and maintains a constructive dialogue with staff at all levels to help achieve the strategic objectives of the organisation and to deliver high- 5.

9 Patients Much of this evidence relates to the NHS and The Trust needs to develop innovative ways of other public sector organisations as follows: capturing the experience of patients to improve Only by understanding what is important year-on-year, the areas that matter to them. to people can a service be effective and This Strategy aims to achieve a significant efficient1. improvement in patient experience and will The better informed staff and patients are, benchmark improvements against the following: the more satisfied they are with public 1. I can access the services I need services2. 2. I understand what is happening to me and Involving staff and the public in making what the next steps in my care will be decisions that affect their lives increases 3. I receive courtesy and I am treated with their self-esteem and self confidence - in dignity and respect turn improving their working lives (staff). 4. My environment is clean and I am and their health and wellbeing (staff and comfortable patients)3.

10 5. I have the right nutrition and levels of Poor Communication damages trust and personal hygiene reputation4. 6. I can be visited by my family and friends As an organisation, we are very clear about the purpose of our Communication activity, how 7. I have not received any harm from my stay this supports the delivery of national policy, in hospital the NHS Constitution (Page 7) together with 8. I have had a positive outcome the Trust's over-arching vision and values and 9. I would return strategic aims (Table:1 and Figure 1). 10. I would recommend this hospital The Trust's over-arching vision is to become This Strategy includes a Patient Experience the naturally preferred secondary healthcare Toolkit which is a dynamic framework to provider for all patients living in north Cumbria support collaborative working with our patients by: and to achieve capturing, understanding, Providing high quality, clinically safe and improving and evaluating the above (Appendix financially sustainable services 6).