Communications for improvement Andrew Cooper, Interim Director of Communications Public Health Wales

Explore the role of communications in quality improvement and for supporting collaboratives. Learning from use of communications in 1000 Lives Campaign, NHS Wales. Introduce a framework to support communications for improvement. This morning’s session

The discipline of communications – in relation to PR, internal communications and media activity. Strategic communications – the use of planned and intentional communications to support large scale change. Definitions

Welcome to Wales ….

Population of 3 million Devolved government 46% of Wales’ national budget Served by 7 health boards (primary, secondary and community services) and 3 specialist trusts 84,000 staff Home of Aneurin Bevan, founder of the NHS Health in Wales

The 1000 Lives Campaign A national collaborative All NHS Wales organisations Six interventions To save an additional 1000 lives and prevent 50,000 episodes of harm

Guided all communications work Engaged hearts and minds Ensured clear and consistent framing of messages Reaffirmed value of campaign Promoted sustained engagement Built profile Improved awareness and understanding of patient safety agenda Strategic communications

“I have no doubt that many of the lives saved by the Campaign would not have been saved, without the effective use of communications which underpinned it.” Jonathon Gray “For us, the benefits [of communications] have been like applying an exponential in maths. The impact and sustainability of improvement efforts are multiplied many times.” Alan Willson

“It’s like you’re an alien from Mars – but we’re glad you’re part of the team.” Communication and improvement

10. Know your audiences 9. Develop a strong narrative 8. Tell stories from the frontline 7. Develop an identity that’s owned 6. Celebrate success What we learned …

5. Turn challenges into opportunities 4. Work with communications teams 3. Engage your local and national media 2. Don’t let contacts get away 1. Always use patient stories What we learned …

Why communications for improvement? Conveys the need for change Builds will Sustains energy Improves healthcare Saves lives

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” George Bernard Shaw We do communications without the strategy: “We need a poster.” We don’t do it at all. Three risks

Communications – the missing pillar in improvement?

“The role and contribution of large-scale communications is under- examined and under-utilized in the QI arena.”

1 – effective communications should be recognized as one component of standard best practice in QI. 2 – communications should be formally incorporated into existing QI frameworks Recommendations

Learning from industry Average budget for marketing a a blockbuster movie = $40- $50 million.

Are we nudging, telling, forcing, sharing or engaging?

A communications framework Aim: What do you want to achieve? Audience: Who do you need to engage? Message: What do you need to say? Channels: How will you reach your audience? Story: How will you engage your audience? Review: What will you learn for next time?

A communications framework Easily scaleable Not content-specific Not skill-dependent Collaborative Empowering

Applying it to your work... Session exercise Working in pairs or groups, identify a new or existing programme where you could apply this framework.

Aim: What do you want to achieve?

To save an additional 1000 lives in Welsh healthcare over the course of two years.

Audience: Who do you need to engage?

Knowing your audiences

Getting to know your audience Who is critical to the project’s success? Do we need to focus on clinical specialties? Are there professional bodies who would strengthen our work? Does the public have an interest?

Message: What do you need to say?

“NHS Wales staff save lives everyday. The 1000 Lives Campaign will help them save even more.”

Message: What do you need to say? Key messages and ideas Building the narrative Influencing feelings.

Channels: How will you reach your audience?

Your channels and networks Your colleagues and their channels Interested parties People you don’t know Social media Making the right choices – ‘spray or pray’ or targeted.

Channels: What content will you create? Video Infographics Photos Stories Blog posts

Good or bad photo? A

Good or bad photo? B

Good or bad infographic? A

Good or bad infographic? B

Dear Orange Friends: One night last week I toured campus and off-campus from 11pm to 1am with our very dedicated Department of Public staff. Good or bad blog? A

You know that feeling when you're having a great day, but you forget exactly why it's so great? There's that feeling that something really good happened earlier, and its glow is being carried forward... Good or bad blog? B

Communications for improvement Story: How will you engage your audience?

“Those who tell stories rule the world.” Plato Stories from patients, the public, staff. Match your stories to your audiences. ‘Sell your story’ Story: How will you engage your audience?

What’s the ideal story/interview to support your programme? What would you want interviewees to say? Where will you start?

Review: What will you learn for next time?

Aim: was it articulated clearly? Audience: Did you reach the right audience? Did you try and tackle too many or reduced your impact because you had too few? Message: How could you improve your messaging? Were your messages consistently communicated? Channel: Did you choose the right channels? Did you have too many or too few? Story: Did your work inspire stories of change? Which stories were most successful, which least?

Review: What are you measuring? Inputs – research and planning. Creation of material. Outputs – measure of messages. Web views, media hits. Out-takes – measure of audience awareness. Sign up, involvement in collaborative. Outcomes – influences changes/beliefs. New ways of working are adopted and embedded. Chartered Institute of Public Relations, London 2014

Closing questions How could you use this framework in your collaborative? What could you do to improve it?

Thank you Website:

Photo credits Pillars –Sarai Rachel Pillars_1 – no credit required Aim – rrodrigo Audience_Empty – Thomas Hawk Message_Microphone_emptyaudience1 – William Marlow Channels – espensorvik Channels_maze –furdis Review - MT Scotland Story blankpage – Friedwall Shoes – Sarah Joy Fruit bowl – Nana B Agyei