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

2. 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

3. 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)

4. 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

5. 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/ 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

6. Key messages Making GP referrals online (e-RS) is better for patients:
It is a safer method than post, fax or 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, s, referral letters and manually making appointments by STG staff = more efficiency

7. Implementation – communications products
Internal
Direct 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

8. 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

9. 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
s 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

10. 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 ( 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