Draft Protocol for Official Visits; Openings and Familiarisation Visits

Protocol for official visits, openings and other high profile events

Aims

• To have a consistent and coordinated approach to organising official visits; outlining how corporate headquarters and CHP or RaigmoreHospitalstaff will work together.
• To use visits to raise awareness of our services and their achievementsamong influencers, stakeholders, patients and the public.
• To highlight the achievements of staff and boost morale.
• To ensure we are better prepared to respond to ad hoc requests for visits that come from external sources.
• To engage a range of political leaders and other public figures in the work of NHS Highland.
• To ensure we have consistent key messages and information.
• To involve a range of NHS Highland Executive and Non Executive Directors, Senior Managers, Clinical and operational managers and staff in delivering key messages about health and health services.
• To ensure the event is planned in a way which reflects well on the organisation and is in line with our need to ensure NHS resources are used effectively.

Principles

• CHPs and Raigmore Hospital Management Committee will look proactively for opportunities to invite Ministers or other figures to visit and will suggest these to the Chair and Chief Executive.
• The Chair and/or Chief Executive wishes to be present at all ministerial visits.
• The relevant CHP or Raigmore Management Committee Chair and General Manager should be present at all high level visits.
• Attempts should be made to secure the CHP or RaigmoreHospital chairat MSP/MP/MEP visits, however this shouldn’t hold up visits.
• Organisation of the event is coordinated by the Community Health Partnership team using their local knowledge and under the direction of the General Manager and Executive Lead.

Scope

• Official Visits with Government Ministers and Members of the Royal Family.
• Official openings with Government Ministers and Members of the Royal Family.
• Informal openings to mark the physical movement of staff/patients and to publicise the proper use of new services.
• MSP visits for familiarisation and information.
• Visits to mark the start or success of a significant project to improve quality of service delivery.
• Visits from senior healthcare staff from other countries.

Advice

• Don’t book an official opening too soon – give yourself time for slippage.
• Notify facilities staff in advance of an official opening so they can ensure there is a clear route and suitable parking space.
• Keep communications involved of slippage in your programme for the service to be highlighted.

• The Cabinet Secretary usually attracts national as well as local media attention.

• A Government Minister will usually want to visit more than one service when in the Highlands; are there three or four things that can be organised in a ‘package tour‘?

• A single project may generate a number of different visit opportunities which maybe suited to different visitors e.g. launch of pilot project, permanency, anniversary, turf cutting, topping out, official opening.

• Follow NHS Highland polices i.e. serve non-alcoholic drinks and healthy food. Be sure that access requirements are met for people with mobility problems. Events should be reserved to avoid accusations of wasting NHS resources.

• National guidelines apply when an election is called. Visits must be organized carefully to avoid the appearance of support or opposition to any candidate. Seek advice if you receive any requests during the ‘pending period’ between the call for an election and polling day.

Roles

The Chair and Chief Executive will decide on an annual programme of visits, openings and other high profile events. Planning and delivery is then the responsibility of the General Manager working with the relevant locality or service manager. The communications Team will support the promotion of key messages for each visit/event and manage the media.

• Provide internal briefing for Chair, Chief Executive and Communications Team.
• Ensures dates are set to match availability of Chief Exec/Chair/Official Guest and to avoid clashes with other events.
• Draw up official invitation for Official Guest and send to Chair/Chief Executive’s office
• Organise the event including all further invitations, briefing pack for official guest and Board representatives.
• Ensures invitations are allocated in a fair way being sensitive to local community representatives and patient and public forum members.

• Work with Communications Team on media handling.