Provider communications
strategy
Alice Rawcliffe
Provider Communications Manager
November 2010
Introduction
This strategy aims to set out how CQC will engage with
providers of care services to achieve its objectives
during the period November 2010 to April 2012.
It is linked to the stakeholder, media, user and internal
communications strategies which are also the
responsibility of the Strategic Marketing and
Communications directorate.
It will also form part of the ‘customer service strategy’
which is currently being developed.
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The context
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Complex communications landscape
This strategy focuses on the work of the ‘corporate’ provider communications
team but also considers other areas of the organisation which impact on the
experience and reputation of CQC
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Who do we communicate with?
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What the research says…by sector
NHS
• New system feels very
different to them
• Need to feel we aren’t
going to over-react to
issues
• Rely on monthly bulletin
/ website for updates
rather than calling NCC
• Keep in regular contact
with regional teams
• Have clear
administration in place
to manage regulatory
systems
Adult social care /
independent health
• Used to regular contact
and advice from CSCI
and early CQC
• Need clear definition of
our relationship with
them under new system
• Rely heavily on NCC
rather than using
website
• Don’t have systems in
Dentists / ambulances
• Critical of CQC
• See registration as an
unnecessary burden
• Frustrated by lack of
available guidance on
new system
• Sometimes adversarial
relationship with CQC
(and NCC)
place to do selfassessment
• Process for ending
quality ratings has
created bad feeling
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What the research says…a summary
Working well
• Monthly professionals e-bulletin
• Establishment of provider
reference groups
• Guidance – clear and easy to
read (but difficult to find)
• Contact with regional teams
(where this is happening)
Areas for improvement
• Website (navigation and search
function)
• Online services (to allow us to be
more sector specific)
• Consistency of advice (NCC,
regional teams and back-up)
• Coordination of communication
• Volume of guidance / information
• Embedding of compliance
monitoring (internally and
externally)
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Where do we want to get to?
Issue
From
To
Consistency of
advice
Conflicting advice from CQC (NCC,
inspectors and guidance)
Providers always receive clear, consistent
advice from CQC
Clear service
standards
Slow response from CQC in
response to queries, processes,
publication etc…
Agreed SLAs for providers are being met
and are available on our website for
providers to view
Clarity of roles /
relationships
Varying experiences of CQC. Lack of
clarity around roles.
Clear, well defined roles so providers
know what is expected of them and who to
contact if they have a query
Feedback
mechanisms
Very little engagement with the
sector. Little response given to
feedback received
Clearly defined feedback mechanisms
with regular reporting about how it has
been used (both internally and externally)
Website and
online services
Website that is difficult to navigate
and with a poor search facility.
Reliance on paper processes with
limited online services.
New public website with improved
navigation and content tailored to
audiences. Move to online services e.g.
provider portal, RSS feeds etc…
Joined up
communication
Providers receiving uncoordinated
communication from various teams
across CQC
Providers receive regular joined up
communication that is relevant, targeted
and consistent
Internal
communications
Providers often aware of information
before their local inspectors
Agreed process for internal and external
distributions to ensure CQC staff are
always briefed before providers
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Joined up communications
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How will we measure it?
We will develop a measurement framework with benchmarked performance
indicators for each of our ‘aims’. This will allow us to monitor trends across the
different areas.
The mechanisms we will use to measure against the indicators include:
• Quarterly provider reference group survey
• Monthly poll via provider reference group home page (temperature
check)
• Surveys of e-bulletin subscribers
• Quarterly attendance at operations management group meetings
• Regular meetings with regional communications managers
• Quarterly ‘provider visits’ by corporate communications team
• Monthly statistics from shared services
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Next steps
• Development of process for coordination of communications
to providers (working with representatives from teams
across CQC) and approval by relevant authority (RDA or
BDA)
• Development of measurement framework for reporting
against agreed performance indicators
• Six monthly update to Executive Team on progress against
this strategy
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