e-Referral uptake/adoption campaign Communications Plan St George’s Recovery Plan - Outpatients Transformation Programme September 2017 – draft v 2 BM

Communications Objectives Support the e-Referral (e-RS) project/campaign to increase overall online referrals via the system by GPs through an effective communications plan Support the internal (St George’s) e-RS project to get the system more ready for market through: awareness of benefits to patients, staff, GPs and STG calls to action for operational managers and consultants to enable more sub-specialties / clinics slots to be available for GP referrals Advertise NHS e-Referral service training courses & drop-in sessions to Clinicians, managers, and administrative personnel Drive increased use of e-RS by GPs to make referrals

Communications challenges External GP experience: historical and current experience of using e-RS/Choose and Book not positive affecting reputation Low current uptake; GPs use range of other channels to refer Service availability affecting communications messages and calls to action: limited services/clinic slots can be booked via e-RS Service not ‘fit for purpose’: descriptions (DoS) often not complete/accurate or helpful - adding to poor experience as patients cannot be booked into right clinic, first time Waiting lists (clinic slot availability): limited availability for some clinics with waiting lists well in excess of 18 weeks and some 52 weeks+ Internal Competing demands on services management/consultants time: ongoing operational challenges; previous DoS experience; other requirements for process changes and input including CDOF, Blueteq, existing IT systems proliferation; change fatigue Clarity of policy and therefore messages re e-RS use for advice and guidance (v Kinesis), triaging patients (v e-Triage) now and future Established GP referral systems at CBS/service-specific level (resistance to change)

Target Audiences External Internal (STG) GPs and practice managers: primarily the 57 GP practices in Wandsworth and Merton, plus wider referring area GP Federation CCG – commissioners and specific managers including e-RS leads, GP liaison/locality teams, communications Wider primary care stakeholders inc Planned Care Delivery Board, LDU/LTB officers, CSU, LMU Patients Internal (STG) General managers and service managers Consultants (where there is a call to action) Outpatients Services operational management inc GM, CBS Senior managers especially COO, DDOs, MD, and all with commissioner/primary care relations responsibility

Strategic communications approach Distinct internal (STG) and external (GPs and influencers) campaigns Consistent use of e-Referral as the service name; e-RS as abbreviated version, ‘previously known as Choose and Book’ can be used in descriptive text Use strong key messages consistently on why this benefits patients, clinical safety, quality of care, GPs, STG services and clinicians and system efficiency Use clinicians (GP and STG doctors), patents and STG management voices Internal - specific Set out clear ‘three stage process’ to simplify with clear calls to action Targeted engagement by project team of GMs/service management; consultants, senior leaders Targeted/direct and general ‘airwaves’ communications to raise awareness, and highlight calls to action, including use of data to highlight progress/uptake/gaps External – GPs in particular Deploy EAST (Easy, Attractive, Social, Timely) behaviour change principles where possible – ensuring the system is fit for purpose and calls to action can be easily answered by GPs Use existing comms channels – mainly digital/online/email and F2F engagement) and develop new approaches where needed including for patients, including partnership comms via CCGs Regular drumbeat of open, honest, two-way communications highlighting availability; calls to action (book via e-RS); support; feedback requests

Key messages Making GP referrals online (e-RS) is better for patients: It is a safer method than post, fax or email benefiting patient safety (referrals less likely to be lost at any stage) Appointments confirmed up to 10 days quicker than postal referrals It provides a full, easily accessible audit trail from the moment GP refers Patients can log in to change times/dates of their appointment GPs will benefit through: Quicker pathway by 5-7 days, plus less time spent chasing first appointments Clinical safety – know referrals are made and bookings confirmed sooner It’s a quick, easy to use system and you can see and tell patients when appointments are available – up to 5-7 days quicker than paper referrals Support including training is available to use e-RS STG clinicians and staff will benefit through: Patient safety: referrals received sooner, will not get ‘lost’, audit trail Care quality: patient pathways up to 10 days quicker = patients seen sooner Reduced admin of handling faxes, emails, referral letters and manually making appointments by STG staff = more efficiency

Implementation – communications products Internal Direct email communications to GMs, Care Group Leads etc Attending HODG, services’ team meetings, care group meetings, 121 training and support Create ‘3 steps to e-RS’ one page guide for services/care groups Content into internal communications channels including all-staff newsletters (awareness of importance); MD’s consultant bulletin; CEO staff briefings; Core Brief etc Publish performance data regularly to show progress and areas for action: Service-specific direct to DDOs and GMs; Trust-wide via all-staff channels Two key indicators: Readiness/availability - % of slots on e-RS Utilisation/take-up - % of bookings via e-RS

Implementation – communications products External Create new, quarterly e-RS Primary Care update to be sent directly to all GPs and stakeholders. Issue one late Oct/Nov 2017 and to include: All services/clinics available to book via e-RS Drive to meet national targets: ‘why, what, how’ – what STG is doing Recent updates/newly added Data on overall, most-popular etc clinics booked via e-RS Tips and information on using system; links; guidance on what to tell patients Contact details for NHS Digital training support, STG helpline Request for feedback (to STG helpline) Content into STG GP newsletter (x6pa) Regular content (updates etc) into CCG channels inc weekly newsletter Present/discuss at CCG locality meetings for GP leads and practice managers, and GP Federation meetings as part of wider updates by RRS Develop support materials for GPs including ‘how to’ guides for using e-RS and advice to give patients on using system (eg to change appointments) Updated content on STG website for GPs and patients

Communications Action Plan – INTERNAL STG (October 2017 onwards) Audience Objective Activity Timing Resp All staff Launch’ awareness, ‘why’ and details Ongoing awareness including progress and reminder of calls to action; sharing of data on performance eG STG article Regular eG STG content and other internal channels, inc GP comment, data on performance w/c 2 Oct Ongoing DR Consultant body (all) ‘Launch’ awareness; ‘why’, call to action Ongoing call to action, progress updates including data MD newsletter Early Oct Operational managers (GMs, service managers) Awareness and action Emails and f”2F engagement (individually and at HDOG, services meetings etc) Three-step overview call to action Publish and share data (dashboards at service level) Sept/Oct Oct RRS/BM DR/BM BM

Communications Action Plan – EXTERNAL (October 2017 onwards) Audience Objective Activity Timing Resp GPs GP Practice managers Awareness of ‘why’ and benefits to using e-RS Behaviour change to use e-RS e-RS Quarterly Update (email newsletter) Content in STG Primary Care newsletter Content in CCG comms to GPs Initial ‘How to’ Guide Attend CCG locality meetings in Wandsworth and Merton Nov - ongoing Quarterly Oct – ongoing every two months As appropriate November Nov 2017, Spring 2017 DR/BM DR RRS CCGs Awareness; support campaign and advocacy with GPs Stakeholder relations with relevant contacts Ongoing DR/RRS/BM Other primary care stakeholders Awareness, support Briefings at PCDB; stakeholder meetings Patients Awareness of how to make/change appointments via e-RS STG website content Information via GPs