OCCG Constitution Schedule 1 Communications and Engagement Strategy Communications and Engagement Strategy 2013 to 2014 1 OCCG Constitution Schedule 1 Communications and Engagement Strategy Index Executive Summary…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……..4 1. Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….…5 2. Principles…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……...5 3. Key objectives……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….6 4. Progress to date………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….6 5. Key messages……………………………………………………………………………………….……………………….…….7 6. Responsibilities……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…..7 7. Stakeholder analysis……………………………………………………………………………………………………………8 8. Strategic priorities and key actions…………………………………………………………………………………..…9 9. Monitoring implementation………………………………………………………………………………….…………..11 Appendix 1: Duty to involve……………………………………………………………………………………………….......12 Appendix 2: Stakeholder analysis……………………………………………………………………………………….……13 Appendix 3: Potential model for organisational structure for engagement…………………….……….14 Appendix 4: Draft stakeholder relationship protocol………………………………………………………….……15 2 OCCG Constitution Schedule 1 Communications and Engagement Strategy Executive Summary Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (OCCG) first developed a Communications and Engagement Strategy in 2011. This was subject to public engagement and an update agreed in June 2012. This new Strategy does not start from scratch but seeks to build on that early work and subsequent developments. The Strategy is based on a set of core principles, including the importance of open and two way dialogue with patients, the public and key stakeholders. It also acknowledges OCCG’s statutory responsibilities and the NHS commitment to involve patients in the way in which health services are planned and managed. There are three overarching objectives within the Strategy: To continue to build meaningful engagement with the public, patients and carers to influence the shaping of health services and improve the health of people in Oxfordshire. To increase confidence in OCCG as a responsive commissioning organisation. To further develop a culture within OCCG that promotes open communication and engagement within and outside the clinical commissioning group. The high level approach to achieve the objectives includes: using a range of activities and approaches to ensure that the public voice visibly influences and is directly involved in the decisions made by OCCG continuing to develop the external reputation of OCCG as a leading commissioning organisation continuing to develop internal two way communications with staff and members continuing to develop the Governing Body as a Board which operates in an open and transparent Key communications and engagement work streams set out in the Strategy include: a pro-active campaign to publicise the ways in which the public can be involved in the work of OCCG continued development of patient engagement at Locality level. development of and agreement for an organisational framework for engagement activities within OCCG building of OCCG’s profile through the media through proactive press releases, interviews and articles developing a pool of spokespeople and the process by which messages and responses are agreed. further development of OCCG’s new media presence. Completion of the new OCCG website and its Locality sub sites development of the OCCG staff newsletter and staff events. development of agreed -processes for communicating with and between Localities, GPs and member practices communications and engagement support for key areas of work including Outcomes Based Commissioning, engagement and consultation on a future vision for the Horton General Hospital and the Older People’s Programme. The Board will receive an update on the Strategy in December 2013, and a revision in May 2014. 3 OCCG Constitution Schedule 1 Communications and Engagement Strategy Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group Communications and Engagement Strategy Vision “We will work with the people of Oxfordshire to develop quality health services, fit for the future. Through clinical leadership we will - Achieve good health outcomes for us all within the money available - Balance the needs of you as individuals with the needs of the whole county” 1. Introduction Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group (OCCG) became a statutory body authorised to commission health services on behalf of the people of Oxfordshire on 1 April 2013. Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group is committed to ensuring that it informs, engages with and involves patients, the public, partners, stakeholders and its members in the way in which it develops and delivers its commissioning plans and this is explicitly articulated in the Operational Plan for 2013 – 2014 (http://www.oxfordshireccg.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Paper-071-Ops-plan-March2013.pdf). This means ensuring that OCCG is open and honest in the way in which it conducts business, that it listens to the views of stakeholders and that it demonstrates that it has taken into account what it has heard. OCCG is also a membership organisation, committed to enabling Localities and their communities to discuss and develop plans at a local level, and also to feed issues to the Governing Body. OCCG already has a track record of developing patient and public engagement and using many channels to communicate with a wide range of stakeholders, including the media. A Communications and Engagement Strategy was initially developed for OCCG in 2011. This was tested through informal public consultation and adjustments made to reflect the responses of patients, the public and other stakeholders. An update was agreed by the Shadow Governing Body in June 2012. This current Strategy refreshes that approach. It reflects the new statutory responsibilities of the organisation and supports the delivery of the 2013 – 2014 Operational Plan and its key work streams. It covers the period June 2013 to May 2014. 2. Principles “The CCG will conduct its business in an open and transparent manner. Transparency means that decisions within the organisation are explained and that where there are pressures leading the organisation to have to make difficult decisions there is clarity about what those pressures are and what impact we expect the decision will have.” OCCG Constitution, 2013 The following are the principles which underpin the Strategy: Proactive and planned internal and external communications help organisations to operate effectively and win the support of staff and stakeholders. Communications and engagement should be open and transparent. It is a two way process – informing and sharing, listening and responding. A wide range of channels will be used to reach a wide range of audiences. Continuous efforts will be made to actively seek to reach and receive feedback from groups and individuals whose voices are not always heard. 4 OCCG Constitution Schedule 1 Communications and Engagement Strategy Communications and engagement with key stakeholders and partners will take account of the fact that OCCG is a membership organisation. They will also reflect the importance of managing conflicts of interest. OCCG is cognisant of its statutory responsibility to engage and consult (see Appendix 1) but is committed to going further in seeking out and listening to the patient voice. 3. Key objectives The overarching aim of this strategy is to ensure that communications and engagement support OCCG’s mission, vision, values, objectives and Operational Plan. Key objectives are to: continue to build meaningful engagement with the public, patients and carers to influence the shaping of health services and improve the health of people in Oxfordshire. increase confidence in OCCG as a responsive commissioning organisation. further develop a culture within OCCG that promotes open communication and engagement within and outside the clinical commissioning group. 4. Overview of progress to date As stated above, the first OCCG Communications and Engagement Strategy was developed 2011. Over the past 18 months the organisation has progressed significantly in this area. The following are some of the key achievements: Most practices in Oxfordshire have Patient Participation Groups (PPGs), a development supported by OCCG. Each Locality is developing an approach to patient and public involvement, to ensure that it can reach out to local people and communities. The aim is that each Locality should have its own patient and public involvement group or network in time. While each Locality is taking a different approach, all are working to ensure that the views and concerns of their patients, stakeholders and communities can be fed into the way in which plans are delivered at both a Locality and County wide level. The Governing Body now has independent lay representatives including someone with responsibility for patient and public engagement, and an independent lay chair. OCCG has worked co-operatively with Oxfordshire County Council to establish the Patient Involvement Network, to support the work of the joint Health and Well Being Board and the Partnership Boards. OCCG is using a range of engagement approaches to ensure that the programme of work to develop commissioning based on patient-centred outcomes is underpinned by the views of patients, service users and carers. OCCG has successfully run on its own behalf and worked in partnership with Oxfordshire County Council on several public consultations including on: - the proposed Governing Body structure - the approach to equality, diversity and human rights - the autism strategy - the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy - the Joint Mental Health Strategy. OCCG is developing a new public facing website, which includes sections for each Locality. OCCG has a profile with local and national specialist media. The organisation is frequently asked for views and comments. Coverage of the organisation and its plans has so far been accurate and not negative. OCCG has established a good working relationship with key local stakeholders including voluntary sector organisations and the Oxfordshire Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee. 5 OCCG Constitution Schedule 1 Communications and Engagement Strategy A corporate video has been produced, to explain the work of OCCG to a wide range of audiences OCCG has adopted the required national branding but has also developed some of its own tailored presentational materials. OCCG Connect is now established as the external facing newsletter for stakeholders. An internal newsletter has also been developed, and briefing meetings for staff have been established. OCCG uses twitter and Facebook and is committed to exploring new and innovative as well as more traditional ways to communicate with its various stakeholders. There is, however, far more to do, as this Strategy sets out. 5. Developing key messages OCCG has already agreed and set out its corporate vision and objectives and its core values. These will develop into key messages which will underpin all of its communications and engagement activities. This will help ensure that there is a consistent approach to the way in which the organisation is described by its members and staff a common understanding of the organisation and what it stands for can be shared with patients, the public and stakeholders. The high level key messages we use on our new website and in our film are as follows: We are Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group. We buy health services on behalf of everyone living in Oxfordshire. To do this successfully we need to work with local people, Oxfordshire GPs, hospital clinicians and other partners (including local government and the voluntary sector). We are committed to: putting patients’ needs first working with the people of Oxfordshire to develop quality health services fit for the future working with GPs, hospital clinicians and other partners to tackle health inequalities giving you a chance to have your say on the health priorities which matter to you. We believe you can make a difference to the way in which our health services are delivered. 6. Responsibilities for communications and engagement Developing good communications and engagement is an organisational responsibility in which everyone has a role to play. The following will be key players: The Governing Body, which is responsible for ensuring that it develops an open and transparent approach to how it makes decisions. Senior leaders within the organisations, who are responsible for ensuring that staff are kept informed, that they have an opportunity for feedback and that their voices are heard. Locality leaders, who are responsible for developing approaches within their local communities which will ensure that patients and the public have opportunities to engage at a local level. Central Southern CSU Communications and Engagement Team based in Oxfordshire, which is responsible for providing for OCCG strategic advice and guidance and operational support on communications and engagement activities, as set out in the Service Level Agreement. 6 OCCG Constitution Schedule 1 Communications and Engagement Strategy 7. Stakeholder analysis Oxfordshire Clinical Commissioning Group has a wide range of stakeholders it needs to involve and communicate with in order to deliver its commissioning vision, objectives and operational plan. In order to ensure communications and engagement activities are tailored to individual stakeholder needs, it is very important to analyse the various audiences and plot their level of interest and influence in the success of OCCG. While the analysis in this strategy reflects the stakeholders with whom the organisation should engage with at a corporate level, it is also important that similar analyses underpin the work of the localities. It is also important that specific stakeholder analysis is carried out to underpin any specific programmes of work. This will include: Stakeholder analysis Identification of key messages for each identified audience Identification of communication opportunities and challenges Consideration of who is best place to communicate the message and act on feedback. Below are our stakeholders (please see Appendix 2 for a stakeholder matrix). The environment is complex and some stakeholders could appear under more than one heading depending on the role they plan at any particular point. It is recommended that an OCCG lead person is allocated to key stakeholders, such as HealthWatch, Members of Parliament and the HOSC. Public Patients Carers Public HealthWatch Patient Participation Groups Locality patient groups and networks (including the Community Partnership Network) Patient Involvement Network (see engagement section below) Talking Health membership (see engagement section below) Community organisations which represent local people/service users Special interest groups Local press National press Radio TV Websites/social networking sites Trade press Newsletters Academic journals Commissioners Oxfordshire GPs OCCG staff Oxfordshire County Council staff Providers Practice staff Oxford Health 7 OCCG Constitution Schedule 1 Communications and Engagement Strategy Oxford University Hospitals Ridgeway Partnership (now part of Southern Health) South Central Ambulance Trust Ramsey Healthcare Other specialist Trusts Voluntary sector providers Public Partners County Council District Council Parish Council Voluntary sector representatives Regulatory bodies Health and Wellbeing Board Professional NHS England (and NHS England South and Thames Valley) Royal Colleges Unions Academic Health Science Network Public Health England University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University and other academic institutions Political partners Department of Health Members of Parliament Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee Council leaders Councillors from parish to County level MPs and MEPs Local Medical Committee 8. Strategic priorities and key actions The following are general priority areas for development over the coming year and the actions which will support them a. Engagement There are a number of ways in which patients carers and the public can become engaged and involved in the work of OCCG: - - Board meetings are held in public and attendance welcomed. Public questions can be submitted (preferably in advance) and questions relevant to the agenda are answered during the meetings. Written answers to questions are posted on the website within twenty working days. Talking Health, OCCG’s online engagement and consultation tool, now has 2,000 members and has been used successfully for a number of consultations As described above, each Locality is developing its own approach to working with PPGs, communities and the public. 8 OCCG Constitution Schedule 1 Communications and Engagement Strategy - The Patient Involvement Network run jointly with OCC has a strong voluntary sector membership and elects representatives onto the Partnership Boards. HealthWatch is currently being established in Oxfordshire and recruiting members. It will play an important role in acting as the ‘people’s champion’ to influence the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy and the delivery of local services in Oxfordshire. During the coming year, work will focus on promoting the different ways in which people can get involved in OCCG and in strengthening the corporate arrangements, so that there is a line of communication from patients and the public at practice level through to the Board. It will also include ensuring that key work programmes have appropriate public/patient engagement running throughout. Specific activities: A pro-active media campaign to publicise the ways in which the public can be involved in the work of OCCG. Continued development of ‘Talking Health’ as an innovative online engagement and consultation tool. Continued development of patient engagement at Locality level, with an organisational review towards the end of the year. Development of and agreement for an organisational framework for engagement activities within OCCG. In conjunction with Oxfordshire County Council, continued support for this year for the Patient Involvement Network (pending the external review next year). b. external communications While OCCG has developed an external profile which is stronger than many other CCGs, more work is needed to develop this profile and to communicate it externally. This will include working to develop the proactive approach to the media to promote OCCG and its key work streams and defining an organisational approach to stakeholder relations. Specific activities: Further development of key messages. Organising media training and developing a pool of spokespeople and agreeing the process by which messages and responses are agreed. Building of OCCG’s profile through the media through proactive press releases, invitations to interview etc. Further development of OCCG’s new media presence. Completion of the new OCCG website and its Locality sub sites. A refreshed stakeholder analysis and an agreed process for managing stakeholder relations (draft protocol set out in Appendix 4). c. internal communications Internal communications within the NHS is far more complex in the new structures. For example, primary care teams within PCTs would previously manage communication to GPs and practices on a wide range of issues. These responsibilities are now shared across a number of organisations. In addition, as a new organisation, OCCG needs to further develop its internal culture and its engagement with staff. Over the coming year priority areas include strengthening internal communications and engagement with staff and developing communications with GPs and Practice members. 9 OCCG Constitution Schedule 1 Communications and Engagement Strategy Key activities: Development of the OCCG staff newsletter, staff events and staff communications Development of agreed processes for communicating with and between Localities and members Development of robust and succinct communications channels for GPs and for practices d. Programme/Project support In addition to the specific work detailed above, communications and engagement support will underpin some specific work streams. The following are priorities for communications and engagement support (each will have its own communications and engagement plan): The OCCG Commissioning Strategy Outcomes based commissioning Engagement and consultation on a future vision for the Horton General Hospital The Older People’s Programme 9. Monitoring implementation The OCCG Lead Director for Communications and Engagement will have overall responsibility for the Strategy. A number of elements will be delivered through the Central Southern CSU Communications and Engagement Service, as specified in the SLA and monitored regularly through SLA and customer meetings. The Board will receive an update on the Strategy in December 2013, and a revision in May 2014. 10 OCCG Constitution Schedule 1 Communications and Engagement Strategy Appendix 1: Duty to involve The NHS Plan (July 2000) set out the Government’s intention that patients should be ‘at the heart’ of the NHS. Patient and public involvement should be central to service planning and provision and a major driver for service improvement. Section 11 of the Health and Social Care Act 2001 further strengthened this commitment by placing a duty on NHS organisations to involve and consult patients and the public. In section 242 of the 2006 NHS Act this duty was strengthened to require patient engagement and involvement in: planning and provision of services the development and consideration of proposals for changes in the way these services are provided and decisions to be made by the NHS organisation affecting the operation of services. Further policy has reinforced the duty and need to involve patients and the public in changes in services. The Secretary of State set out four tests for service change within the revised Operating Framework for 2010 – 11. Any service redesign proposals must demonstrate that there is: support from GP commissioners strengthened patient and public engagement clarity on the clinical evidence base consistency with current and prospective patient choice. The Government White Paper ‘Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS’ underlined this with ‘no decisions about me without me’. This has further been strengthened in the NHS Constitution, republished in March 2013: ‘You have the right to be involved, directly or through representatives, in the planning of healthcare services commissioned by NHS bodies, the development and consideration of proposals for changes in the way those services are provided, and in decisions to be made affecting the operation of those services.’ 11 OCCG Constitution Schedule 1 Communications and Engagement Strategy Appendix 2: Draft corporate stakeholder matric High Satisfy • NHS England: Regional team & Area team • Patients • Health & and the Wellbeing public. Board • GPs as providers • CCG staff • Unions • Practice Managers as providers • MPs, councillors • Locality Forums/networks • HealthWatch • HOSC • Media • County Council • PPGs Influence • Commissioned providers NHS staff • Voluntary organisations • Campaign groups • District Councils • Opticians, pharmacists, dentists Low Inform Monitor Low Interest 12 High Satisfy: this group are mainly opinion formers who need to be kept satisfied with what is happening Manage: key stakeholders who should be fully engaged through communications and consultation Monitor: this group needs to be monitored for communications and engagement needs Inform: some of these groups may gain in influence, depending on the issue concerned OCCG Constitution Schedule 1 Communications and Engagement Strategy Appendix 3: Potential model for organisational structure for engagement Model for Patient and Public Engagement Talking Health (online engagement tool) OCCG Governing Body Independent Lay Chair and Independent Lay Members OCCG GB Lead for PPI Locality Forum/Network Chairs PIN (joint with OCC) - mainly vol sector orgs Locality Forums or networks HealthWatch PPGs Local voluntary sector organisations Community organisations Agreed accountability at each level 13 OCCG Constitution Schedule 1 Communications and Engagement Strategy Appendix 4: draft Stakeholder Relationship Protocol OCCG values its relationships with patients, stakeholders, voluntary organisations and the public. OCCG is committed to operating in an open, transparent, fair and balanced way and to engaging and involving patients and the public in the way in which the organisation develops and manages the commissioning of health services on behalf of local people. OCCG will continue to develop and maintain routes for consultation/engagement and maintain relationships with our stakeholders: OCCG will meet regularly with elected representatives of local and national Government, including Members of Parliament and Local Government Members. OCCG will also meet regularly with their appointed officers on issues of common concern. Identified key stakeholders will each have a lead contact within OCCG. OCCG will maintain an on-going relationship with the Oxfordshire County Council Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, recognising the Committee’s statutory role in scrutinising the management of health services for local people. OCCG will maintain an on-going relationship with Oxfordshire HealthWatch, recognising its role in gathering feedback on issues related to health and social care and in ensuring that engagement is at the core of key clinical decision making. OCCG will promote the value of involving patients and the public in the development of health services, at a local, locality and County-wide level. OCCG will reflect this by: encouraging all practices to develop Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) developing patient and public participation networks or forums at a locality level so that local people have an opportunity to influence health services beyond practice level having lay representation on the Governing Body, to feed in views and concerns of patients and the public. - OCCG works in partnership with Oxfordshire County Council on improving health and social care, through the Health and Wellbeing Board. OCCG will continue to support the Patient Involvement Network (PIN), which is a method/route for engaging the public, voluntary and statutory partners in the work and priorities of the Health and Wellbeing Board and Partnership Boards. OCCG is committed to a process of continuous engagement and formal consultation on health and social care issues, when appropriate, in partnership with Oxfordshire County Council or other partners. OCCG will continue to promote ‘Talking Health’ as a vehicle for developing an online public community and for using it proactively to gather ideas, views and concerns. OCCG will also continue to hold face-to-face events to support engagement/consultation as we recognise the power and importance of discussing health issues in person OCCG is committed to ensuring that those groups and individuals in society which are seldom heard have an opportunity to contribute their ideas, views and concerns about health services and will continue to use a range of approaches to reach them. 14 OCCG Constitution Schedule 1 Communications and Engagement Strategy OCCG is committed to conducting all appropriate business in an open and transparent way and in the public domain. As part of this process, OCCG welcomes questions submitted in advance of Governing Body meetings, and to providing written answers on its website within 20 working days. OCCG is a membership organisation with a Governing Body structure. While respecting the views of single issue and lobby groups, OCCG Board members are mindful of the way in which conflicts of interest must be managed and of the important of maintaining a fair approach to all individuals and all points of view. For this reason, Governing Body members of OCCG will take a consistent approach to all single issue and lobby groups and will not agree to meet them on behalf of the organisation unless there are exceptional circumstances (and these are agreed by the Chair and CEO). OCCG will continue to work closely with voluntary organisations as representatives of particular patient and service user groups, to ensure that the needs and best interests of patient, services users and members are being served. Again, mindful of the importance of managing conflicts of interest, this is separate from the relationship which OCCG will maintain with those voluntary organisations from which it commissions services, either directly or indirectly. OCCG will continue to include and involve patient representatives on its project groups where appropriate to ensure the views of patients and Carers are included in key decision making and the early stages of project development in healthcare. 15