Public consultation response and evidence of staff engagement / involvement
This document outlinesthe information required from aspirant NHS Foundation Trusts to satisfy key stakeholders that:
- robust public consultation has been undertaken and a representative membership base has been developed
- staff and stakeholder involvement in the development of the integrated business plan has been actively sought and impacted
- the organisation can demonstrate a continued commitment to expand and progress the wider culture change and social responsibility required to operate as an NHS foundation trust.
Background
1. Name of applicant / Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Partnership NHS Trust
2. Area served by Trust / The Trust is located within the geographical boundaries of Staffordshire County Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council. It serves a diverse population of 1.1 million people, covering a wide geographical area stretching from the Staffordshire Moorlands, which borders the Peak District in the North, to the conurbation of the Black Country in the South.
Although largely rural the Trust also provides services in urban centres such as Stoke-on-Trent, Leek, Burton upon Trent, Cannock, Lichfield, Stafford, Tamworth and Wombourne.
3. Contact details of person responsible for the public consultation / Kate Montgomery
Engagement & Membership Manager
Tel: 0845 602 6772 ext 1630
Email:
About the public consultation
4. Dates of public consultation / Started / Finished
23/07/2012 / 20/10/2012
5. Which media were used for the public consultation document? / Full consultation document in hardcopy / Yes
Summary consultation document in hardcopy / No
Web-based consultation document / Yes
Talking book/ audio tape/CD-ROM / Yes
Large print versions / Yes
Versions in ethnic languages (please specify which) / Yes
-Punjabi Pakistani
-Punjabi Indian
-Urdu
-Polish
-Hindi
-Gujrati
-Bengali
Presentation at public meetings (please specify where meetings were held and the number attending each)
The Trust facilitated 10 formal Foundation Trust public consultation meetings covering each of its proposed public member constituencies:
- Town Hall, Burton upon Trent – 2-4pm / 15/08/12 / Attendance of 8
- Wombourne Council, Wombourne – 3-5pm / 24/08/12 / Attendance of 0
- Foxlowe Community Centre, Leek – 12-2pm / 29/08/12 / Attendance of 6
- Stoke Potteries Museum, Stoke – 11am-1pm / 06/09/12 / Attendance of 1
- Stafford Borough Council, Stafford – 11.30am-1.30pm / 20/09/12 / Attendance of 9
- Lichfield Guildhall, Lichfield – 10am-12noon / 27/09/12 / Attendance of 5
- Community Fire Station, Tamworth – 4.30-6.30pm / 03/10/12 / Attendance of 5
- Leisure Centre, Cannock – 5-7pm / 08/10/12 / Attendance of 6
- Community College, Newcastle under Lyme – 4-6pm / 10/10/12 / Attendance of 16
- South Cheshire College, Crewe – 5-7pm / 12/10/12 / Attendance of 0
- Leek & Biddulph Patient Participation Group
- Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Partnership NHS Trust AGM
- Stoke on Trent LINk Meeting
- Staffordshire LINk Board Meeting
- Age UK Meeting
- Staffordshire County Council Health Scrutiny Committee
- Youth Action Kouncil Meeting
- Stoke on Trent City Council Health Scrutiny Committee
- Cannock CCG Board Meeting
- North Staffordshire CCG Board Meeting
- South East Staffordshire & Seisdon CCG Governing Body
- Stafford & Surrounds CCG Board Meeting
- Stoke on Trent CCG Board Meeting
- East Staffordshire CCG Steering Group
Other (please specify)
The Trust undertook a variety of activities to ensure the widest possible distribution of information amongst its key stakeholders:
Internal Communication
Online: Basic information including the FT presentation, FAQs, a downloadable consultation brochure, events and an interactive consultation questionnaire were made available online.
All User Emails: Information on how to have a say and updates about the consultation were regularly circulated to all staff. These included regular reminders about upcoming events and meetings.
Team Meetings / Away Days:The Foundation Trust team encouraged requests from staff to speak about FT at their department away days / team meetings and attended a variety of these events.Senior staff were also urged to cascade information to teams and encourage their participation.
Team Brief:A monthly update was given on the Trust’s FT application and membership/consultation issues via ‘Team Brief’ sessions.
Staff Newsletter:Prior to its beginning, and during the consultation, updates on the Trust’s FT application and upcoming meetings / events were communicated to staff via internal newsletter – ‘The Word’.
Fact Sheets: A flyer with key information on the FT process, membership and the Trust’s consultation was distributed to staff to increase their confidence in speaking to service users, carers and the general public about our plans.
Payslips: Information regarding the Trust’s FT application and membership/consultation was distributed via payslips for three consecutive months to ensure full coverage of the workforce.
Corporate Induction:Consultation / membership information and upcoming event information was given out to new staff at three consecutive staff induction sessions during the consultation period.
Joint Staff Partnership: Staff Side have been briefed and engaged via the Joint Staff Partnership, with a number of discussions regarding staff membership and the configuration of the council of governors.
External Communication
Online:Basic information including the FT presentation, Frequently Asked Questions, a downloadable consultation brochure and an interactive consultation questionnaire / membership form were made available online.
Hard Copy:Consultation brochures, membership forms and upcoming events flyers were sent to Trust sites across Staffordshire for display in public areas.
Consultation brochures and membership forms were distributed at all public meetings and meeting venues, including Trust consultation meetings covering all membership constituencies.
Consultation brochures and membership forms and flyers on upcoming meetings were distributed at all community fetes and other events (AGMs of partner trusts for example).
Consultation information was distributed in response to contacts received by the Trust’s PALS team
The Trust sent its consultation document and information about upcoming meetings and events to its 1,500 strong membership.
With many staff based out in the community, they were asked where possible to distributeconsultation materials and information to service users/carers in the course of their day-to-day activities.
The Trust’s comprehensive database has been developed to ensure the inclusion of groups representing more vulnerable people and those with protected characteristics e.g. British Muslim Welfare Association, Disability Solutions and Reach (a group for people with learning disabilities).In a bid to consult with minority groups contact letters seeking views and offering meetings were sent to a wide range of diverse organisations. These included hard copy consultation brochures which were available in a number of languages and formats.
Emails: Regular updates and consultation materials were distributed via email to the Trust’s key stakeholders:
- Chief Executive Officers of partner organisations – All CCGs in the Staffordshire region, Staffordshire County Council, Stoke on Trent City Council, Burton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, University Hospitals North Staffordshire NHS Trust, South Staffordshire & Shropshire NHS Foundation Trust, North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust,West Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust, Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service, Staffordshire Police Service VAST (a Local Development & Support Organisation)
- MPs from each borough/district
- All councillors from each borough/district
- GP practices throughout Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent
- Communication Departments of partnership organisations – for distribution to staff/public via newsletters and promotion online
- An extensive list of voluntary organisations based in Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent
- The North and South Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce for distribution amongst local private sector companies
- Extensive database of service users and carers (usually also representing voluntary groups)
- The Trust has consulted with a significant proportion of the population by having information circulated to all councillors and area committee members in Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent
- The Trust’s comprehensive database has been developed to ensure the inclusion of groups representing more vulnerable people and those with protected characteristics e.g. Savana (a group supporting victims of sexual assault & violence), the LGBT Network, the North Staffordshire African Caribbean Association. In a bid to consult with minority groups contact letters seeking views and offering meetings were circulated to a wide range of diverse organisations. These emails included the consultation document which was available in a number of languages and formats.
Representativesalso attended health related fairs, AGMs of partner organisations and conferences for health professionals to inform those with a vested interest in the NHS.
To ensure interaction with a variety of age groups the Trust had a presence at a number of fresher events at local colleges and universities, linking in with its sexual health team to ensure relevant messages for the audience.
The Partnership Trust is committed to engaging with its diverse communities and its consultation programme included attendance at events such as an Eid Health Festival in Stoke. The Trust has plans to follow up the consultation with a presence at other key upcoming festivals such as Diwali. The organisation will also continue to gather input through its bi-monthly Community Health Equalities Network (CHEN), made up of representatives from the community and partner organisations who are supporting the organisation in embedding its Equality and Inclusion agenda.
In addition to meetings, the Trust attended just under 20different community events across Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent during the three month consultation. This figure would have been even higher but for a number of cancellations due to inclement weather and reduced funding for events as result of the current economic climate.
However, the events attended by the Trust attracted over50,000other people, ensuring it was able to reach a wide and diverse audience within the West Midlands.
At all events, consultation brochures and membership forms were distributed alongside branded promotional items carrying the Trust’s website and contact details.
Meetings:The Trust held ten of its own public consultation meetings to discuss its Foundation Trust proposals. These covered the localities of each of its membership constituencies and attendance was fair given improved awareness about FT status amongst the general public and the length of time for which applications have been being undertaken – eight years. Consultation brochures, membership forms and copies of the Trust’s FT presentation were distributed at all 10 meetings and attendees had the opportunity to question executive leads about the Trust’s FT plans. The Trust also attended a number of other key meetings held by commissioners, voluntary sector groups and other local providers. The Trust consulted with over280 people using this method of engagement.
The Trust’s Chief Executive and Chairman have held one-to-one meetings with the CEOs or relevant senior directors of key partnership organisations including Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service, Staffordshire Police Service, Staffordshire County Council, Stoke on Trent City Council and VAST (a Local Development & Support Organisation). These meetings included discussions on the Trust’s FT proposals and potential upcoming opportunities for organisations to nominate an appointed governor to the Trust’s council of governors.
In addition, the Trust has distributed information to its own bi-monthly Service User & Patient Experience Forum with 10people in attendance which included service user/carer representatives from both Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent.
Media:Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent attempted to raise further awareness of the Trust’s public consultation and upcoming public meetings through the local press. Following press releases on the Trust’s plans coverageappeared in a number of publications covering a significant number of the Trust’s membership constituencies, including ‘out of area’:
- The Sentinel (Staffordshire Moorlands, Stoke on Trent, Newcastle, Stafford, Cheshire) – Daily Circ. 50,792
- Tamworth Herald(South Staffordshire, North Warwickshire) – Weekly Circ. 30,000
- Burton Mail (East Staffordshire, South Derbyshire, North West Leicestershire) – Daily Circ. 12,198
- Leek Post & Times(Staffordshire Moorlands) – WeeklyCirc. 10,815
6. Number of formal responses received / No. of responses
Hardcopy, using proforma provided as part of the consultation exercise / 16
Others in hardcopy – letters, etc / 12
On website / 8
By email / 10
By telephone / 1
By fax / 0
By text / 0
Verbally at all public meetings / 223
Others (please specify) / 7: Comments received through attending team meetings and Team Brief
7. Was the pattern of responses to the public consultation in line with the demography and geography of the area? Were there any areas or groups that were not adequatelyrepresented in the responses received? Please provide explanations where necessary, and details of trust action plans to target under-represented areas.
Geographically, response to the Trust’s consultation was fairly evenly distributed. The Trust held 10 formal FT public consultation meetings, with one located in each of the proposed membership constituencies. The meetings were held at various times during the day and evening to maximise potential participation and were well publicised in local media, at events, via email distribution and on the Trust’s website. Emails were distributed to over 15 partner organisations, 12 MPs, 211 council representatives (council members, select committee members and district leads and theirlocal health committees), 185 GP Practices and a database of third sector groups and organisations across the Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent region, many of which include service users and carers as members. Some of these were:
- Community Health Voice
- VAST
- CVS Organisations (All districts)
- Staffordshire LINk
- Stoke on Trent LINk
- Staffordshire Buddies (a group promoting sexual health)
- Age UK
- Deaf Vibe
- Homestart
- ELITE Enabling Living Independently
- Patient Participation Groups
- Newcastle 50+ Forum
- North Staffs Users Group
- North Staffs Carers Association
The Trust recognises however, that holding formal, single issue public meetings is not always the most appropriate method of consultation. As a result, the Trust’s senior team attended a significant number of both formal and informal meetings during the consultation period to discuss FT plans (as listed in section 5). The Trust has tried to ensure an equal and consistent approach to engagement across all its boroughs and districts. A range of consultation materials were distributed across the localities, including any formal meetings where FT plans were part of their agenda.
Throughout the consultation exercise and FT membership drive, it has been important to the Trust to engage withseldom listened to communities. The membership office worked closely with the Trust’s Equality & Diversity Lead to ensure information about the consultation was distributed as widely as possible amongst diverse groups. This included information being sent out to the Trust’s Community Health Equalities Network (CHEN) representatives, who in turn were asked to cascade this to their wider communities. Printed copies of the consultation document were also forwarded to Islamic, Bengali & Pakistani community leaders, Hindu and Islamic Cultural Centres and local Mosques.Other groups contacted include the British Muslim Welfare Association, Disability Solutions and Reach (a group for people with learning disabilities).In addition to sending out information, the Trust’s Equality & Diversity Lead discussed the consultation with community representatives during face to face meetings on a variety of topics.
Finally, the Trust noted a good mix of ages, gender and ethnic groups etc at public meetings and community events. One meeting in particular attracted attendance from a number of people with hearing and visual impairments. Many were encouraged to attend by local third sector group, DeafVibe, who favourably advertised the meetings to its members upon learning that an interpreter would be present.
About the comments
8. Please list responses received from major stakeholders (individuals and orgs) and their general view – include local MPs, local authorities, local NHS organisations, professional and staff representative bodies, local commercial organisations, national and local voluntary organisations, etc. / Name / Broadly in favour / Broadly
neutral / Broadly
opposed / Main issue
raised
East Staffs CCG / Yes – ‘ES CGG supports the transformation regarding an integrated and proactive approach to supporting people with long term conditions’. / ES CCG supportsa genuine shift in power to the patient/user, making shared decision making a reality.
Stoke on Trent CCG / Yes – ‘Encouraged with the clear vision and working in collaboration with a commitment to work with communities and socially deprivedpeople’. / SOT CGG asserted the need to include ‘Stoke on Trent’ in the name. SSOTP must recognise health inequalities in the region and give the people of SOT a sense of ownership.
North Staffs CCG / Yes – ‘We welcome Trust’s commitment to personal health inequalities. SSOTP shows strong leadership in sexual health services’. / Appointed governors could include representation for the ambulance service.