1. Director of communications
What we learnt
from Hospital
Michelle Dixon
Director of communications

2. What is Hospital?
Documentary series showing the day-to-day achievements and challenges of the NHS
Featuring staff and patients across five hospitals of Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
Produced by Label1 for BBC Two, in partnership with Open University
Series one – six, one-hour episodes
Screened 11 January to 15 February 2017

3. Hospital

4. What did we want to achieve?
Show amazing care, commitment, expertise and achievement
Provide a more rounded view of how we work
Explore the challenges and dilemmas we’re facing
Encourage consideration of how we might tackle those challenges

5. What we did achieve Average of 2.5m consolidated viewers per episode
Web visitors increased by a third – up to 12,000 a week and 8,500 views of eight associated blog posts
Grew Twitter followers by 2,000 and trended during each broadcast – huge respect and affection for the NHS
Over 500 news articles, vast majority positive
Job applications increased by 50 per cent

6. And sparked debates on…
Acute capacity vs demand
Delayed discharges
Outsourcing elective procedures
Access to specialist services
Service consolidation
Care and resources for older people
Care for overseas visitors
Role of private care within NHS
Care for ‘lifestyle’-related conditions
Access to new treatments and innovations

7. Though… Some important issues not covered
Some staff groups not featured
Viewers wanted to engage – not fully able to capitalise on interest and desire for debate
Related media coverage often simplistic and sensationalist

8. Key learning points – what helped
Great production company – openness, trust, shared values and vision
Long lead-in time – building relationships
Very senior and key clinical buy-in
Learning from others who had gone before
Big focus on staff, patient and stakeholder engagement
Trust press officer embedded with production team
Clear and comprehensive information governance protocols
Investment in our own content development
Greater than anticipated role in the editing process
Timing and luck!

9. And what would have helped…
Knowing quite how much time it would take up, especially in editing phase
Even greater senior and key clinical buy-in
More focus on our own content
More focus on how to make the most of the opportunities
Understanding importance of direct relationship with BBC Two

10. The acid test
Series two, filming starts 20 March…