Walsall Hospitals
NHS Trust
Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust
Corporate Communications
Strategy 2008-11
May 2008
Fiona Boyle
Head of Corporate Communications and Marketing
Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust
Corporate Communications Strategy 2008-11
Section Number
Section Name
Page
Number
Section 1
Section 2
Introduction
Why is communication important?
3
3
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5
Section 6
The Trust’s Vision and Values
The communications vision for 2008 – 11
Aims of the communications strategy
Factors to consider for the future of the
Trust
The research
Messages
Target audiences
Communicating with staff
Communicating with GPs
Communicating with patients
Communicating with (FT) members
Tools and activities
Roles and responsibilities
Policies
Branding
‘Getting Better for Staff’
Diversity
Summary and evaluation
Board and staff members who gave
opinions
GPs who gave opinions
Team Briefing system
Action Plan 2008-9
3
4
4
5
Section 7
Section 8
Section 9
Section 10
Section 11
Section 12
Section 13
Section 14
Section 15
Section 16
Section 17
Section 18
Section 19
Section 20
Appendix 1
Appendix 2
Appendix 3
Appendix 4
2
5
6
6
7
10
13
15
15
16
16
17
17
17
17
19
20
21
22
Section 1 - Introduction
Walsall Hospitals NHS Trust (Walsall Manor Hospital) is committed to constantly
improving communications and, as a public service and a business, we
understand the importance of clear, honest, timely and relevant communications.
To do this, we will undertake a planned and sustained approach to
communications to support our core business of delivering high quality care to
patients. The corporate communications strategy will also help to manage and
monitor the reputation of the organisation and reflect the Trust’s aims and values.
Section 2 - Why is communication important?
Without clear, relevant and timely communication through the organisation, the
best possible service will not be delivered. Communication is a core part of
everyone’s role within the Trust, not just the role of the communications team. It
is vital that every member of staff takes responsibility for both giving and
receiving information with others.
This corporate communications strategy will ensure we build upon and
strengthen our open and responsive approach to communicating with our staff,
patients, carers, primary care colleagues, the local community and organisations
with whom we are in partnership.
Section 3 - The Trust’s Vision and Values
“Proud to provide modern first class treatment for you and your family
when and where you need it, by people who care”
Our Trust Values

Teamwork – we work together and support each other to provide the best
care for patients.

Professionalism – we are competent in our work and we act in a way that
inspires confidence.

Care – we are friendly and approachable and put patients at the centre of
everything we do.

Respect – we value patients and staff as individuals and will make sure
we explain and listen.

Pride – we enjoy our jobs and we are happy working at the Manor
Hospital.
3
Section 4 - The communications vision for 2008 – 11
Firstly, effective communications should underpin the Trust vision and values.
Secondly, it is impossible to put a price on a good reputation and
communications activity is difficult to quantify. However, when things go wrong
the costs to the organisation can be huge in terms of staff morale and public
confidence and it can take a long time to repair this damage. Hence, consistent
and coordinated communications is vital.
This communications strategy aims to improve the reputation of the organisation
year on year by embedding a managed and sustained approach to
communications, through planning and evaluation.
Section 5 - Aims of the communications strategy
1. To ensure internal and external audiences are well informed about what is
happening within the Trust and its future developments;
2. To ensure key corporate messages are disseminated and understood;
3. To ensure staff and stakeholders are listened to, given the opportunity to
voice opinions, and receive feedback on their views;
4. To provide clarity on who is responsible for ensuring communications are
effective and coordinated;
5. To improve staff morale by listening and communicating more effectively;
6. To enhance the Trust’s reputation.
4
Section 6 - Factors to consider for the future of the Trust
Internal change – targets such as 18 weeks referral to treatment and the service
transformation programme mean that a number of internal processes have
changed in turn requiring a subtle change to the culture of the organisation to
empower staff and encourage them to be involved in continuously improving the
way that we do things.
The hospital redevelopment – the redevelopment of the hospital is also well
underway and in 2010 the new hospital will be unveiled. Staff and patients will
experience a significant amount of change over this period and it is important to
ensure that they are consulted and informed.
External change – the NHS market place is developing fast with patients at the
centre of decisions about where they want to be treated. The reputation of the
Trust is a key factor in retaining and growing market share and it is vital that it is
enhanced by every point of contact that patients and GPs have with our services
and staff.
Section 7 - The research
As with any strategy, an evidence base is essential and regular research and
evaluation must be carried out. This communication strategy has been based on
a communications audit carried out by LTA Communications who carried out
research as follows:




Staff views on Trust communications were obtained from members of the
staff council and from two staff focus groups. The first focus group
comprised middle managers, the second was made up of frontline staff
(see Appendix 1 for details);
Interviews were held with seven GPs from different practices in Walsall
(see Appendix 2 for details);
Walsall tPCT’s Chief Executive and Medical Director were interviewed to
ascertain their experience of the Trust as stakeholders;
Views were sought from the Patient and Public Involvement Forum.
5
Section 8 - Messages
What do we want people to think about when they hear the name of the Trust?
These are the corporate messages that we should be communicating with all of
our target audiences.

Walsall Manor Hospital aims to be the best district general hospital in the
country, providing top quality care for the people of Walsall and the
surrounding area. The hospital of choice, not just of convenience, for the
people of Walsall;

The new hospital, opening in 2010, will provide modern, efficient, fit for
purpose services and facilities where and when patients need them. The
disruption caused by the new build is temporary and will be worth it;

We are innovative and real progress is already being made in delivering
quality patient care, e.g. reduced waiting times, low rates of hospital
acquired infections and generally improving the patient experience;

Our staff are loyal and committed – working hard amidst constant change
and challenge.
Section 9 - Target Audiences
There are a number of audiences with whom we need to communicate with to
achieve our aims. Our target audiences can be identified to be:











Patients and carers
Staff employed by the Trust
PCT
GPs and commissioners
FT members (and governors)
Local politicians/local authority
Media
Monitoring bodies
NHS partner organisations
Voluntary sector
Business community
The way in which we communicate should be appropriate to the audience we are
trying to reach. There is no ‘one size fits all’ and the methods employed need to
be regularly assessed to measure their effectiveness.
From the research, improving communications with staff, GPs, patients and FT
members is considered to be the top priority for 2008/09. Separate sections are
6
therefore dedicated to these groups in this initial version of the strategy with a
more general focus on the remaining groups.
Section 10 - Communicating with staff
Feedback from the focus groups revealed that middle managers felt generally
well informed and understand their responsibility for keeping staff in their
team/departments informed but pointed out it is difficult because of part-time
working and shift patterns.
However, frontline staff do not feel well informed – they feel that few managers
attempt verbal briefings, and written briefings (Chief Executive Update) were
seen as materials that they cannot relate to.
All agreed that more face-to-face communication and more direct contact from
the top team would help the general information flow both ways and improve
morale.
There is a general agreement amongst all staff that email communication is too
heavily relied upon. Only staff with desk based jobs access emails regularly.
Those who do access emails regularly suffer from information overload, receiving
messages which are not relevant to them or receiving information more than
once from different sources.
Frontline staff are the immediate priority for internal communications.
Internal communication – existing methods
 Cascade
 Chief Executive Update
 Team Brief
 Email
 Intranet
 Notice boards
Recommendations for improving internal communication
1) Cascades of information from managers to staff
It is the responsibility of senior managers to deliver information to their staff. It
should be made a personal objective that information is cascaded in an
appropriate (usually verbal) and timely manner;
Each senior manager will be tasked with producing a plan for how corporate
information will be cascaded to each member of staff in his/her area and how this
will be monitored/audited. Shifts and part-time working must be taken into
consideration;
7
In particular, a system of monthly face-to-face verbal Team Brief cascades
should be introduced and monitored (see Appendix 3).
2) Top management communications
The Chief Executive should go for a walk for two separate one hour slots twice a
week (PA to diary on a flexible but ‘must do’ basis). Here she can take the
opportunity to let staff know about any news, events, etc. and to take questions.
A communications section at new starter induction should be introduced
where a member of the communications team goes along to explain the various
communications methods within the Trust and that two-way communication is
imperative;
Hold a ‘Back to the shop floor day’ where the Chair, Chief Executive and
Directors take on roles like switchboard, canteen, porter, security, etc.
Review the potential to utilise and expand the scope of Board to Ward meetings
to focus on current topics.
3) Communications Champions
In order to help ‘spread the word’ we will be recruiting communications
champions in each area. These communications champions will be brought
together on a monthly basis, at a communications forum, to help drive the
internal communications process through their service area.
The communications forum can help contribute ideas for Chief Executive Update,
Cascade and the intranet, ensure posters in their local area are changed
regularly and kept up-to-date, cascade corporate information to their teams, and
gather good news stories to feed into the communications team.
The role of the communications champions will be to:







Attend the monthly communications forum
Receive and keep their team up-to-date on corporate information;
Distribute communications materials;
Gather good news stories and feed these into the communications team;
Ensure that important news, events and dates are flagged up early;
Keep notice boards up-to-date with key communications materials;
Act as the official ‘grapevine’.
An event is planned to launch the role of the communications champions and
their role will be explained to them.
8
It is important however that the momentum is retained and that the
communications champions commit to this being a long-term role. This means
support from their managers in releasing from their role to attend the monthly
communications forum.
4) Other internal communications issues

Myth Busters on the intranet should be wound up and instead a monthly
one hour ‘Conversation with Sue’ online forum launched;

An audit of divisional newsletters should be undertaken by the
communications department, to ensure that they follow the corporate style
and to evaluate their effectiveness;

Cascade should be restyled as a member’s newsletter and be produced
on a bi-monthly basis to ensure that news and articles are not out of date
by the time it is printed;

Give a recognisable ’thank you to staff’ when the Trust achieves key
goals;

Issue regular good news stories to the media with ‘hot off the press’
summaries in the Chief Executive’s update.
9
Section 11 - Communicating with GPs
There are 160 GPs in Walsall split into four practice based commissioning
groups. GPs are the main customers for Trust services. They offer their patients
a choice of which hospital to be referred to and patients take advice from their
GP on which hospital to choose.
The contacts GPs have with the Trust affect their perception of the organisation.
Poor communication can seriously damage the Trust’s reputation with this target
audience.
During the communications review it was found that all GPs would generally
recommend the Manor to patients where it was the nearest to their home but all
were critical about communications received.
What information do GPs want?
● Waiting times;
● Referral pathways;
● Results of tests and access to patient records/discharge information;
● A ‘who’s who’ of consultants/specialists;
● Services available/new initiatives;
● Corporate information, e.g. about the new hospital progress and FT status.
In short, GPs want information to help them deliver the best possible service for
their patients. They need to know who they can refer to, what the waiting times
are and how to refer.
They need discharge information promptly when a patient has been treated and
they need results and advice on any follow-up treatment needed. They want this
information in an easily accessible, clear and timely fashion.
GPs complained about discharge information arriving late or not at all. Other
complaints related to illegible handwriting and cryptic abbreviations on discharge
forms. Often there is little or no information on a discharge form.
Typed discharge letters are better but in one practice it is a source of major
concern that letters are frequently addressed to the wrong GP.
The method of sending test results electronically via the Fusion system was
generally applauded and the Manor is seen as ‘leading the field’ with this
electronic link.
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How do GPs want to receive information?

Discharge information should be emailed to the GP as soon as possible. A
copy can be given to the patient but the Trust shouldn’t rely on the patient
hand delivering. And don’t post – email is more immediate.

When a patient is seen in A&E, fax or preferably email the report to the
GP the same day – don’t wait and send in bulk at the end of the month.

Letters from consultants should state clearly what procedures, if any, have
been carried out and state clearly what advice they are giving and what
further treatment is needed.

GPs would like access to patients’ notes through the Fusion system.
Fusion works well for pathology results but needs to be expanded to allow
access to a wider range of patient information.

Of less importance to GPs but still of interest to them is the corporate
information, e.g. relating to Foundation Trust status or the new hospital
progress. GPs’ interest in this varies from wanting general knowledge to
wanting to be more involved. (One GP would like to be an FT governor.) A
personal letter from the Chief Executive to update GPs on developments
would be best for this information. Brief, to the point and personally signed
– perhaps enclosing a copy of a press release.

Most GPs liked the GP Choices newsletter and felt the information
contained was useful.
Who do GPs want contact with?

GPs would like more ‘face-to-face’ contact with consultants; they are
more likely to refer to a particular consultant if they have had personal
contact with them.

GPs would like direct line telephone numbers for services and to access
consultants at set times.

GPs would welcome the opportunity to meet with consultants and
managers from the hospital on a regular basis. Social occasions would be
welcome but considered to be more useful if training is involved. One
suggestion was for a regular training meeting held at a GP practice with all
local GPs invited to attend.
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Recommendations for improving communication with GPs
1. Create a new post of ‘GP Liaison Officer’ to be a named point of contact
for GPs; to answer any queries, be a troubleshooter for any issues relating
to GP referrals and lead on providing information to GPs;
2. Produce a GP referral pack containing all information on how to refer to
different services;
3. Distribute GP Choices newsletter regularly with ‘who’s who’ information
and updates on corporate issues and new services. Offer in hard copy or
electronic versions;
4. Update and issue electronically a telephone directory;
5. Set a standard for discharge letters/forms relating to legibility, use of
abbreviations, minimum delivery time, etc. Ensure all information is
addressed to the correct GP;
6. Work towards a switch to delivery of discharge information electronically
with extended use of the Fusion system and email;
7. Plan a programme of face-to-face meetings between GPs and
consultants/managers. These would be a mixture of training and social
events. There are a number of GP meetings which Trust personnel could
attend, e.g. Local Medical Committee, local commissioning groups/cluster
leads and practice meetings;
8. Establish links with the new young doctors’ group;
9. Find ways of GPs being able to talk to consultants on the telephone or
to be able to email directly for advice;
10. GP section on new Trust website with consultant profiles.
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Section 12 - Communicating with Patients
Views were sought from the Patient and Public Involvement Forum to help shape
this section of the strategy. It is recommended that further focus groups be held
with patients and carers, to ascertain views on how communication could be
improved.
PPI members were generally supportive of the hospital and all but one member
said it would be their hospital of choice if they needed treatment. All agreed that
they would seek advice from their GP on which hospital was best. However, they
listed their complaints as follows:
– too much negative coverage in local press and radio;
– perception of poor standards of hygiene on the wards and in corridors;
– discontented staff;
– poor signposting around the site;
– difficulties with car parking;
– appointments being changed.
When asked how they find out what is going on in the Trust they all agreed that if
they didn’t attend PPI forum meetings their only way of knowing what was
happening at the hospital would be through the media.
The most read newspapers were Express & Star (Walsall and Sandwell editions),
Walsall Advertiser, Walsall Chronicle and Walsall Observer.
Most popular radio stations were Radio WM (particularly Ed Doolan) and Smooth
FM. BBC Midlands Today and Central News TV programmes were also
mentioned.
When asked what sort of information they like to receive all agreed they would
like to see more good news in the local media and they were keen to be kept up
to-date on corporate developments such as the new hospital and the Foundation
Trust application.
With regard to how they like to receive information, no-one wanted glossy (waste
of money) leaflets but they do like to receive letters. Regular exhibitions/displays
in shopping centres were thought to be a good idea but not just in Walsall centre.
It was suggested displays should be taken out to the smaller satellite centres of
Bloxwich, Brownhills, Darlaston, Willenhall, Leamore, Rushall and Pelsall.
In terms of verbal communication there were mixed feelings. Some forum
members thought staff did not listen well enough and often staff did not introduce
themselves so patients don’t know who they are talking to. Name badges are
hard to read and uniforms are confusing. It would be good for patients to see the
same member of staff on repeat visits so a relationship could be developed.
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Recommendations for improving communication with patients
1. Seek more views from patients and carers through focus groups and a
patients’ survey specifically aimed to address communication issues –
further recommendations to follow depending on these views.
2. Set a standard for written communication with patients and test all
letters, etc., against this standard before they are issued.
3. Carry out an audit of patient literature – leaflets/letters, etc.
4. Ensure regular proactive publicity to celebrate the good news, including
updates on infection rates, through mediums such as press releases,
annual report, etc.
5. Test the signposting on site with patient volunteers.
6. Ensure cleaning around the hospital has a higher profile.
7. Review the appointments system and reasons for repeated changes.
8. Hold regular road shows with displays moving around the shopping
centres within the borough.
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Section 13 - Communicating with (FT) Members
In anticipation of the Trust achieving Foundation Trust status, it is important that
a communications plan for members is created.
A programme of communications should be developed to ensure that they are
kept up-to-date on hospital developments. This programme will use a number of
the elements that will be used for patients and the public, such as:




Re-working Cascade as a bi-monthly member magazine;
PR – good news stories about the Trust in the press;
Dedicated members section on the website;
Regular updates on membership.
The Corporate Affairs Assistant will be responsible for communicating with
members and this is detailed in a separate membership and development plan.
Section 14 - Tools and Activities
Annual Report
Plasma screens (waiting areas)
Chief Executive Update
Hospital radio
Patient information materials
Website
Team Brief
Signage
Letters to GPs and patients
Media releases
Cascade
GP Choices
Notice boards
Road shows and events
Myth Busters
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Section 15 - Roles and responsibilities
It is not just the responsibility of the Trust communications team to communicate
with our target audiences; indeed everyone at Walsall Manor Hospital is
responsible for portraying the hospital in a positive light and ensuring effective
two-way communication.
Communications team – It is the responsibility of the communications team to
lead on central communications activity and ensure that systems are in place in
order to foster good two-way communications. The Head of Corporate
Communications and Marketing has overall responsibility for the delivery of the
communications strategy. The communications team provides strategic and
operational advice and support for staff on all aspects of communications.
Trust Board – The Trust Board’s responsibility is to approve the communications
strategy and support communications activities. Trust Board members will act as
spokespeople for the Trust as necessary.
Corporate Management Group (CMG) – It is the role of the CMG to support the
communications team at both strategic and operational level in the execution of
the communications strategy. They will provide information and guidance as
necessary and work on specific areas of this strategy and action plans as
outlined. CMG members may be required to act as media spokespeople as
appropriate.
Directors and Senior Managers – It is the role and responsibilities of directors
and heads of departments to ensure that systems are in place within their
departments which support the communications strategy. Senior managers, with
advice and support from the communications team, are responsible for the dayto-day practice of good communications within their own area. Senior managers
should provide support to the communications team in the delivery of central
communications activity.
All staff – It is the role and responsibility of every member of staff to
communicate in an open and timely fashion. It is everyone’s responsibility to
pass on important and relevant information as well as taking responsibility for
receiving information. All staff should be aware of communications methods and
existing ways to receive and give information. Staff must be aware of patient
confidentiality and staff confidentiality.
Section 16 – Policies
Media handling and crisis PR policies have been developed and these need to
be kept up-to-date. The communications team will be responsible for doing this
and for ensuring that all relevant parties are kept informed of their involvement.
16
Section 17 – Branding
The ‘All Change at the Manor’ reputation and change management campaign will
be launched during the summer of 2008 and this will move the already existing
BETTER branding forward.
The Trust has a great deal of written communication and each needs to adhere
to the brand guidelines, which will be developed in time for the launch of the
campaign.
Section 18 – Getting Better for Staff Campaign
Getting Better for Staff is about improving the working lives of Trust staff;
encouraging them to be healthier, to reach their full potential in their career, to
achieve an appropriate work life balance, to play an active role in the future
direction of the Trust and to recognise their contribution to the Trust.
Section 19 – Diversity
In order to communicate to the harder-reach Bangladeshi and Pakistani
communities, we need to look at nurturing advocates in those communities who
can give us a lead in and help us understand how best to communicate and
provide support..
We need to look at developing health messages around heart disease, renal
failure, diabetes and certain cancers that are prolific in those ethnicities and
getting those messages into the communities.
Likewise, we need to look at developing further relationships with our Disability
Advisory Group to engage further with that group and better meet the needs of
people with a disability.
We can also look to other partnership groups such as schools and colleges to
deliver health messages and engage a younger generation in the future of the
Trust.
(This will be expanded on as part of the marketing strategy.)
Section 20 - Summary and Evaluation
The affection and loyalty towards the Manor Hospital is apparent amongst all
staff and stakeholders but there are strong criticisms relating to actual or
perceived poor communication.
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Improved flow of information and in particular more active listening would help
motivate staff, improve relationships with stakeholders and enhance the Trust’s
reputation. More personal face-to-face contact is needed between the top team
and frontline staff and between consultants/top team and key stakeholders, e.g.
GPs.
The focus of the top team quite rightly in recent months has had to be on the
many challenges including the PFI scheme, FT status, achieving financial
balance and reaching government targets. The focus now needs to come back to
the frontline with more concentration on personal relationships. The Trust is
clearly taking communications seriously with the appointment of a new Head of
Corporate Communications & Marketing and a support team who will be able to
develop this strategy and take it forward.
An action plan for 2008/9 is included as Appendix 4 to this strategy document.
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Appendix 1
Board and staff members who gave opinions
Board Members
Ben Reid – Chairman
Sue James – Chief Executive
Sarah Smith – Director of Development
Staff
Focus Group One – Middle Managers:
Stuart Beddow – Lead Nurse – Endoscopy
Diane Chandler – Clerical/Secretariat Manager
Denise Fraser – Matron – Emergency Services
Doe Hadwen – Outpatient Team Leader
Chris Powell – Deputy Theatre Manager
Focus Group Two – Frontline Staff:
Mrs. C. Bayley – EASI-BOOK
Miss R. Buckley – Physiotherapist
Ms. D. Coates – Ward Clerk, Salisbury Ward
Ms. G. Grimstead – Ward Clerk, Delivery Suite
A. Paul – HCA
Mrs. A. Powell – Ante-Natal Clinic
Miss F. Mahmood – HR Manager
Management Trainee
Staff Council:
I. Lemm
M. Broadfield
S. Fewtrehill
D. Liggins
E. O’Sullivan
A. Littler
S. Chrimes
J. Rowley
T. Crump
A. Millard
G. Dryden
R. Timol
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Appendix 2
GPs who gave opinions
Dr. Kelly – Rushall Medical Centre
Dr. Murli Sinha – Pleck Health Centre
Dr. Shadia Abdalla – Willenhall Health Centre
Dr. B. Mitra – Birchills Health Centre
Dr. Narinder Sahota – Associate Medical Director, Walsall PCT
Dr. Sundar Vaid – Darlaston Health Centre
Dr. Haris Syed – Birmingham Street Surgery
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Appendix 3
Team Briefing System
Monthly – following board meeting:
A. Chief Executive briefs senior managers
B. Senior managers brief all team leaders
C. Team leaders brief all staff
If possible, Chief Executive and members of CMG also deliver two or three local
briefs each month so that frontline staff have an opportunity to meet them.
Questions/comments are fed back direct to the Chief Executive who answers
them in next month’s brief unless urgent when feedback is via relevant manager.
A - C within five working days.
Member of communications team to write the briefing sheet to be used as an
aide memoir but the brief must be delivered verbally.
Member of communications team to check each month – phone staff at random
to see whether they have received verbal brief.
Aim to reach a minimum 80% of staff with a verbal brief.
Topics may be organised under 4 or 5 Ps – People / Progress / Policies /
Performance /Perception.
The format of Team Brief should be refreshed into PowerPoint slides with
supporting speaker notes that can be printed. It should be kept as simple as
possible so as to be understandable by every staff member.
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Appendix 4
Action Plan 2008-9
Detail
Responsibility
Timescales
Cascades of information from managers to staff
Make it a personal objective of all managers that information
is cascaded to staff - to be built into each manager’s personal
development plan/appraisal document.
HR & appropriate
Director/Manager
Henceforth
Refresh format of Team Brief under five P’s headings and in
PowerPoint slides with speaker notes.
Communications &
Corporate Affairs
Teams
End of May
Chief Executive communication to all senior managers
requiring their attendance at monthly Team Brief and to task
them with producing a plan for cascading corporate
information to each member of staff in his/her area.
Communications
Team to draft.
End of May for
communication.
Monthly face-to-face verbal Team Brief cascades.
Communications
Team in conjunction
with departments.
Monthly – following board meeting:
D. Chief Executive briefs senior managers
E. Senior managers brief all team leaders
F. Team leaders brief all staff
Senior managers
to come back with
plan by end of
June.
All staff to receive
briefing within five
working days of
Board meeting.
To start in June.
Monitor the above cascades of information through a monthly
random phone around of departments.
Communications
Team
To start in June.
Chief Executive to go for a walk around the Trust on a twiceweekly basis.
Chief Executive PA
to diarise.
2 x one-hour slots
per week.
Introduction to Trust Communications section at new starter
induction.
Members of
communications
Team to deliver.
To start in June.
‘Back to the shop floor day’ – Chief Executive and Directors
take on roles such as switchboard, porters, security, etc.
Communications
team, Chief
Executive and
Directors.
To start in July.
Review potential to utilise and expand scope of Board to
Ward meetings.
Head of Corporate
Communications
and Marketing.
September.
Recruitment event for communications champions.
Head of Corporate
Communications
and Marketing.
To be initiated at
9th May meeting.
Monthly communications forums to be scheduled for
communications champions.
Head of Corporate
Communications
and Marketing.
Ongoing.
Top management communications
Communications Champions
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Myth Busters/’Conversation with Sue’ online forum
To be wound down and replaced with ‘Conversation with Sue’
online forum – one hour session on monthly basis.
Chief Executive and
Communications
Team
Start in June.
Each division to send any newsletters to communications for
review – branding, style, language, etc. Divisions to be
advised if need to make any changes.
Head of
Communications to
request.
June – August.
To be re-styled as 4pp member magazine and produced bimonthly.
Comms Lead
To go bi-monthly
after summer
issue.
Head of Corporate
Communications
and Marketing and
Head of HR.
September.
Work towards a switch to delivery of discharge information
electronically with extended use of the Fusion system and
email.
Director of
Informatics.
Email by June.
Develop communications plan for regularly communicating
corporate information to GPs – to take form of personal letter
from Chief Executive.
GP Liaison Officer
June
Continue to produce GP Choices newsletter.
Communications
Quarterly
Audit of divisional newsletters
Cascade
Staff Thank You
Develop recognisable and acceptable thank you gesture to
staff.
GP Communications
24
Lead and GP
Liaison Officer
Produce GP referral pack.
GP Liaison Officer
August.
Update and issue electronic telephone directory.
GP Liaison Officer & August.
IT.
Investigate GP meetings which Trust staff could attend, e.g.
Local Medical Committee, practice meetings, local cluster
groups, etc.
GP Liaison Officer
August.
Establish programme of face-to-face contact between Trust
staff/consultants/managers and GPs – hospitality, training,
seminars, etc.
GP Liaison Officer
August.
Establish link with young doctors group.
GP Liaison Officer
August.
Set up GP section on website.
Communications
Team
August.
Carry out audit of patient literature, information, etc.
Communications
Team
Autumn 2008
Investigate how general communications could be improved.
Head of
Communications
and Deputy Director
of Nursing.
Summer 2008
Patient Communications
25
Produce brand guidelines and templates for written
communication.
Communications
Team
Summer 2008
Ensure proactive publicity to celebrate good news stories.
Communications
Champions &
Communications
Team.
Ongoing
Test signposting on site with patient volunteers.
Derek Muhl
Complete
Investigate and plan further ways that the hospital cleanliness
and cleaning has a higher profile.
Director of NonClinical Support
Services and
Deputy Director of
Nursing.
August.
Communications plan to be developed.
Head of Corporate
Affairs
May 2008
Produce dedicated member section on new website.
Communications
Team
Autumn 2008
Re-style Cascade as member magazine – to be issued on bimonthly.
Communications
Lead
After summer
issue.
Update current media policies for approval by CMG.
Communications
Lead
End May
(FT) Member Communications
Policies
26