Provider communications strategy

Alice RawcliffeProvider Communications ManagerNovember 2010

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Introduction

This strategy aims to set out how CQC will engage with providers of care services to achieve its objectives during the period November 2010 to April 2012.

It is linked to the stakeholder, media, user and internal communications strategies which are also the responsibility of the Strategic Marketing and Communications directorate.

It will also form part of the ‘customer service strategy’ which is currently being developed.

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The context

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Complex communications landscape

This strategy focuses on the work of the ‘corporate’ provider communications team but also considers other areas of the organisation which impact on the experience and reputation of CQC

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Who do we communicate with?

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What the research says…by sector

NHS Adult social care / independent health

Dentists / ambulances

• New system feels very different to them

• Need to feel we aren’t going to over-react to issues

• Rely on monthly bulletin / website for updates rather than calling NCC

• Keep in regular contact with regional teams

• Have clear administration in place to manage regulatory systems

• Used to regular contact and advice from CSCI and early CQC

• Need clear definition of our relationship with them under new system

• Rely heavily on NCC rather than using website

• Don’t have systems in place to do self-assessment

• Process for ending quality ratings has created bad feeling

• Critical of CQC

• See registration as an unnecessary burden

• Frustrated by lack of available guidance on new system

• Sometimes adversarial relationship with CQC (and NCC)

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What the research says…a summary

Working well Areas for improvement

• Monthly professionals e-bulletin

• Establishment of provider reference groups

• Guidance – clear and easy to read (but difficult to find)

• Contact with regional teams (where this is happening)

• Website (navigation and search function)

• Online services (to allow us to be more sector specific)

• Consistency of advice (NCC, regional teams and back-up)

• Coordination of communication

• Volume of guidance / information

• Embedding of compliance monitoring (internally and externally)

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Where do we want to get to?

Issue From ToConsistency of advice

Conflicting advice from CQC (NCC, inspectors and guidance)

Providers always receive clear, consistent advice from CQC

Clear service standards

Slow response from CQC in response to queries, processes, publication etc…

Agreed SLAs for providers are being met and are available on our website for providers to view

Clarity of roles / relationships

Varying experiences of CQC. Lack of clarity around roles.

Clear, well defined roles so providers know what is expected of them and who to contact if they have a query

Feedback mechanisms

Very little engagement with the sector. Little response given to feedback received

Clearly defined feedback mechanisms with regular reporting about how it has been used (both internally and externally)

Website and online services

Website that is difficult to navigate and with a poor search facility. Reliance on paper processes with limited online services.

New public website with improved navigation and content tailored to audiences. Move to online services e.g. provider portal, RSS feeds etc…

Joined up communication

Providers receiving uncoordinated communication from various teams across CQC

Providers receive regular joined up communication that is relevant, targeted and consistent

Internal communications

Providers often aware of information before their local inspectors

Agreed process for internal and external distributions to ensure CQC staff are always briefed before providers

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Joined up communications

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How will we measure it?

We will develop a measurement framework with benchmarked performance indicators for each of our ‘aims’. This will allow us to monitor trends across the different areas.

The mechanisms we will use to measure against the indicators include:

• Quarterly provider reference group survey

• Monthly poll via provider reference group home page (temperature check)

• Surveys of e-bulletin subscribers

• Quarterly attendance at operations management group meetings

• Regular meetings with regional communications managers

• Quarterly ‘provider visits’ by corporate communications team

• Monthly statistics from shared services

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Next steps

• Development of process for coordination of communications to providers (working with representatives from teams across CQC) and approval by relevant authority (RDA or BDA)

• Development of measurement framework for reporting against agreed performance indicators

• Six monthly update to Executive Team on progress against this strategy