Health
The White Paper, ‘Our health, our care, our say,’ puts services that engage citizens and respond to their concerns at the heart of the health debate, and sets new challenges for healthcare providers.
It is now recognised that in healthcare “systematically and rigorously finding out what people want and need from their services is a fundamental duty of both the commissioners and the providers of services” and that it is particularly important “to reach out to those whose needs are greatest but whose voices are often least heard.” Whether you are a PCT or hospital trust, consulting on service provision or entering into a local area agreement, Verve can help you bridge the gap with local communities.
East London and the City Mental Health Trust
The Trust was one of the first mental health trusts to seek Foundation status and Verve was chosen to advise and assist it to develop its consultation strategy and support its programme of community engagement. The diverse nature of East London's local population meant ensuring the involvement of faith, BME and community organisations throughout the consultation. The Trust received a high level of response from all groups compared with its peers.
John Wilkins, the Foundation Trust Project Director, said
“Verve was able to use its expertise in stakeholder and community engagement to generate real interest and excitement among the Trust's partners, resulting in a positive local response to their plans.”
Learning lessons from 1st Wave Foundation Trusts
In early 2006, Verve’s Clive Caseley interviewed six Chief Executives and Chairs of ‘first wave’ Foundation Trusts to explore the implications of the change to foundation status on marketing and communications in NHS trusts. Among the conclusions, he found that the communications function in trusts will become more business-critical. This is likely to mean a new generation of staff with the seniority to make the function a corporate driver for all trust activities.
Clive's report appeared on the Health Service Journal Good management web site and can be read here.