ARGYLL & BUTE
CHP
COMMUNICATION ACTION PLAN
Updated November 2006
Key Corporate Themes for 2006-7:
1. Health Improvement Messages: (The Health Improvement Strategic Communications Plan is being developed and this will incorporate actions around key messages for health improvement themes, linking in with national priorities and initiatives.)
· Smoking Cessation
· Obesity
· Sexual Health
· Drug & Alcohol (The Drug & Alcohol Action plan incorporates a communications plan)
2. CHP Development
· Promote the role of all CHPs, getting the message across that CHPs are in charge of health services locally.
· Actively promote Argyll & Bute CHP as being part of NHS Highland
3. Quality
· Promote and reinforce the quality of existing services, building public confidence
· Focus on the standards currently being met e.g. Waiting times and HEAT Targets
4. Service Change (including Delivering for Health)
· Committed to quality, and improving quality of services wherever possible
· We therefore can’t stand still. The service needs to change for these reasons and in these ways
¨ The public should expect to see different professionals
¨ There will be changes to community provision
¨ Patients are partners in care and need to take responsibility (not doing to them, more input and control from patient)
¨ More patients having day surgery
¨ (other examples from Delivering For Health)
· There is a finite Resource
· Improving Change Management (ref Staff Survey 2006)
Key Local Communication Issues/ThemesPromote CHP locality and clinical leads in local media whenever possible
Promote CHP in national media whenever possible
Work with PPF to promote their work within the CHP
Link in with national campaigns and promote at local level
Ensure that Argyll & Bute CHP contributes on a regular basis to both ‘Team Update’ and ‘In Touch’
Work with Corporate Communications to promote corporate themes
Use local health professionals and local management as points of contact in press releases wherever possible
Work closely with local media to increase the number of features
Consideration of communications issues must be integral to every plan, development and service change
Development of local guide to services in CHP
INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY - ACTION PLAN
Objective / Actions / Timescale / Lead / Success Measure / Progress / IndicatorObjective 1. To help deliver a culture of good communication within the organisation and to put communication at the heart of everything that the CHP does / 2006 / Argyll & Bute CHP viewed as an organisation that communicates well
1.1 Core Skills
Training needs identified where necessary and appropriate training developed in areas such as public speaking, media/public relations, major incident communications, effective meetings and plain English / Implementation of KSF for staff
Training needs identified / March 2007 / Staff to have KSF guidelines which identify any training needs / Number of training courses completed and others in pipeline / Green
1.2 Identify local issues
Need to be aware of local issues especially those that may potentially lead to negative publicity for the CHP / Regular meetings with management team to identify key issues / Ongoing / Communications & management team / Early identification of local issues and CHP identified as organisation that communicates well / Regular meetings with senior managers and comms rep at management team and core team meetings / Amber
1.3 Communications Plans
Consideration of communications issues must be integral to every plan, development and service change / Develop communication plans for each major review or project / Ongoing / Project leads & Communications / A planned approach to communications with regard to reviews or new projects / Regular meetings with locality managers and project leads / Amber
Objective 2. To ensure staff are well informed and to increase understanding and awareness of issues of support, accessibility and equality for staff / Ongoing / Staff are better informed and more aware of communications issues
2.1 Meetings
CHP Committee Meetings to be held in public to allow access to staff and public and to make local communities more aware of what decisions are taken by the Committee / Publicise the policy through the local media and internal staff publications / March 2007 / Communications / The general public and CHP staff are more aware of the issues discussed at Committee meetings / Communications plan to be completed / Amber
Objective / Actions / Timescale / Lead / Success Measure / Progress / Indicator
Objective / Actions / Timescale / Lead / Success Measure / Progress / Indicator
2.2 Team Update
This is the monthly organisational channel for news and information for staff throughout NHS Highland. It is published on the web and intranet and hard copies are disseminated throughout the CHP. / Ensure distribution throughout the CHP and regular contributions to the publication from the CHP / Ongoing / Communications and line managers / CHP staff have ready access to Team Update
Regular audit of publication to ensure that regular features from Argyll & Bute CHP are included / The weblink to Team Update is distributed monthly to line managers for onward cascade. Audit of features also in progress / Green
2.3 “Get WISE” - Open Staff Briefings
Well Informed Staff Events delivers a rolling series of staff briefing events throughout NHS Highland at regular intervals. / Programme to be rolled out across Argyll & Bute / tbc / Corporate Communications / Staff have access to face to face information / Corporate Communications looking at rolling programme out / Amber
2.4 Timely Communication
Information should be timely and useful with adequate level of detail for the audience. Efforts made to ensure staff have access to information (especially if contentious nature) ahead of the media / Systems in place to ensure staff are kept well informed of local issues ahead of the media / Ongoing / Locality managers / Staff are aware of news prior to it being published in the media / Work continuing in this area / Amber
2.5 Inclusion
No one should be disadvantaged by disability, geography or culture or by their role or status in the organisation. Communication should be enabling, accessible and use varied and appropriate media to reach all members of staff. / Increase awareness of Race, Equality Fair for All Scheme and use of guidance and translation services / Ongoing / Corporate Equality and Diversity and management team / Compliance with national policy and legislation / CHP currently does not have equality and diversity champion identified / Red
2.6 Web based communication
Increasing access to web-based communications and improving web-based communications / CHP website being developed / Dec 2006 / Communications and local web contact / Staff and the public have access to information regarding heath services locally / Website being developed using information from local guide to services booklet / Amber
2.7 In Touch staff magazine
Quarterly magazine for staff and the public containing health messages, key developments and features of members of staff / Ensure Argyll & Bute CHP contributes on regular basis to publication / Dec 2006 / Communications and locality managers / Regular features from Argyll & Bute CHP in the publication / Articles regularly included and audit to be carried out / Green
Objective / Actions / Timescale / Lead / Success Measure / Progress / Indicator
Objective / Actions / Timescale / Lead / Success Measure / Progress / Indicator
Objective 3. Develop and support staff to be excellent communicators and ensure all individuals take a responsibility for communication and that the CHP promotes opportunities to hear staff views / Ongoing / Staff take up the opportunity to communicate with the CHP
3.1 Inviting staff views
An email address is provided on the website and Intranet for staff to invite views, questions or comments. / Give staff the opportunity to communicate / Ongoing / Corporate Internal Communications / Increase in the level of communications from staff / Staff feedback is now requested in the Team Update / Amber
3.2 Taking Responsibility
Every member of the organisation has their own responsibility for communication at all levels / Promote communications strategy and assist managers in communicating and managing change / Feb 2007 / Communications and management team / Staff and communities informed and involved at an early stage in service change and other issues needing communication management.
More effective use of media pro-actively / Communications Plan drafted / Amber
3.3 Staff Ambassadors
All Staff are Ambassadors for the CHP and as such have the power to influence public and patients’ perception of the service and the organisation. Recognising this is key to promoting key messages and managing the CHP’s reputation / Continually promote this message to staff / Ongoing / Communications and locality managers / Staff are knowledgeable in health improvement and CHP priorities / Communications investigating further work in this area / Amber
3.4 The Media
Staff should direct all media requests to the Communications Department. Staff will be supported and trained where appropriate to deal with media requests as detailed in the Media Strategy.
A number of protocols are in place for staff dealing with the media. / Increase awareness and update training for duty and locality managers as and when required / March 2007 / Communications / All media calls directed through communications / Senior managers are aware of the importance of protocols when dealing with the media / Green
Objective / Actions / Timescale / Lead / Success Measure / Progress / Indicator
Objective / Actions / Timescale / Lead / Success Measure / Progress / Indicator
Objective 4. To have involved, motivated and rewarded staff. / Ongoing / Staff happy that they have been kept in the loop
4.1 New developments, service change and modernisation plans
A communications plan should be in place for these areas to demonstrate meaningful staff involvement from the earliest stages / Audit of staff involvement in modernisation plans / Ongoing / Communications and locality managers / Communication Plans in place / Communications plan template on intranet / Amber
4.2 To recognise and celebrate success NHS Highland will develop an Award Scheme with different categories to celebrate and reward success, innovation and dedication and will endeavour to publicise and promote individual and team successes both locally and nationally. Staff will also be encouraged to participate in national award schemes. / Develop and launch staff award scheme / Ongoing / Corporate Communications / CHP staff participating in award scheme leading to local publicity, raised morale and feeling of being valued. / Scheme launched in Feb 06 and Award Ceremony took place 11 May with funding in place for 2007 Awards / Green
4.4 Editorial Board
This provides a forum for staff involvement in various communication issues. The Editorial Board will develop the Staff Magazine and the Staff Award Scheme and conduct audits of publications and develop protocols. / Meets quarterly / Ongoing / Head of Internal Communications / Increased awareness of local PR opportunities and greater input from Argyll & Bute CHP / CHP comms team heavily involved / Green
Objective / Actions / Timescale / Lead / Success Measure / Progress / Indicator
EXTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY - ACTION PLAN
Objective / Actions / Timescale / Lead / Success Measure / Progress / IndicatorObjective 1. Increase public understanding and awareness of issues affecting health services and demonstrating that CHP is a listening organisation / Ongoing / CHP viewed as listening to the public
1.1 Promote public
understanding
We will promote public understanding of the CHP priorities as well as demonstrate that the CHP is a listening organisation / Disseminate Team Update to key partners, community councils and PPF. Also provide opportunities to disseminate the information in a range of formats / Ongoing / Communications and public involvement / Community feedback on Team Update and evidence of offer of materials in a range of formats / PPF/community groups added to distribution lists / Amber
1.2 Foster links with key opinion formers
CHP will continue to foster links with key opinion formers such as MSPs, Community Councils and voluntary organisations / Hold CHP Committee meetings throughout Argyll & Bute and where appropriate hold meetings with local groups / Ongoing / Communications and Management Team / Increased public understanding of issues affecting health and health services, particularly among key opinion formers / Plans already in place to hold Committee meetings in different venues and regular meetings held with PPF members / Green
1.3 Identify local contacts
Identify key contacts for collating local info for PR, staff news, etc / Promote awareness of services at local level and encourage staff to contact communications with positive PR stories / Ongoing / Communications / Clear communication channels leading to more local PR opportunities / Evidence of increased communication and examples of locally generated features / GreenObjective / Actions / Timescale / Lead / Success Measure / Progress / Indicator
Objective / Actions / Timescale / Lead / Success Measure / Progress / Indicator
1.4 Planned communications
There will be
Planned communications about key health issues and campaigns, linking in with national themes / Communications plans on key health issues and campaigns linked in with national themes. There will also be joint planning of health campaigns between Communications and Public Health / Ongoing / Communications, Public Health and management teams / Increased access for staff and public and a higher public profile of specific health campaigns / Closer working between public health team and communications / Amber
1.5 Proactive management of media
and public opinion There will be proactive management through media strategies for key activities eg service changes, health campaigns, major incidents and developments / Continue to develop communication plans for the CHP around the key Corporate and CHP themes / Ongoing / Communications / Local communities kept informed about the main themes throughout the year
An uptake in the number of proactive features and press releases / Media analysis report into CHP coverage in the local media to be delivered to the Management Team / Green
1.6 Guide to Services
Development of a local guide to services across the CHP / Develop a guide to provide public with information on local services including contact information and how they can become involved / Dec 2006 / Communications / Increased public awareness of the services available throughout the CHP / Draft guide has been distributed to Management Team for comment / Amber