Directors of communications from 15 Swedish county councils visited London to learn more about the health and care system in England.This presentation is from this visit. NHS Improving Quality planned and hosted the study tour as a result of close links with Jönköping, one of the councils represented in the delegation. Our guests learned about the important role of communications specialists in transforming healthcare in England, and the leading role NHS Improving Quality has taken in engaging and mobilising staff at scale and pace. During the study tour it became obvious that many of the challenges and opportunities we face in our health and care system mirror those in Sweden, in particular issues such as emergency care, obesity and smoking, patient safety and working with the media. This was a fantastic opportunity for NHS Improving Quality to strengthen alliances at an international level and share ideas and approaches, and we hope to build on this in the future

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The AHCM
• Not for profit
• Unpaid
• Executive committee

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The AHCM
• The AHCM is the primary
independent network for people
working in healthcare
communications, public
engagement and marketing for the
NHS

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The AHCM
• We are committed to supporting
our members - acting as a 'voice'
for the many healthcare
communications professionals
throughout the UK.

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The AHCM
• The AHCM Committee's main
objectives are to keep members in
touch with what's going on in
health communications; support
their training and professional
development; encourage
networking and the sharing of
ideas and experience.

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Our Aim
• The AHCM's aim is to support and
develop communicators,
engagement and marketing
professionals in the NHS and the
healthcare sector throughout
England

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Our Aim
• To facilitate networking amongst AHCM
members and other NHS professionals
• To provide a national healthcare
communications and marketing
conference
• To deliver learning and development
opportunities for NHS communicators and
marketers
• To share and reward good
communications and marketing practice
• To collaborate with other organisations
and forge new partnerships

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Networking
• Promote networking events, both
formal and informal throughout
England
– Via regular e-newsletter
– Local, regional and National
networks
– Email marketing

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Conference/Forum
• Regional variation
• Free to attend
• Funded by sponsorship
• Range of speakers/masterclasses
• 200 delegates

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AHCM Accredited Training
• Affordable
• Flexible
• NHS communications
professionals

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Module 1
Understanding and communicating with
your key audiences
• Identifying and understanding your key
audience
– Overview of the NHS and stakeholders
– Understanding a range of different audiences
and their needs
• Communicating with your key audience
– Writing styles for your audience (internal
communication; patient communication; media
communication)
– Editing
– Interviewing
– Digital communication

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Module 2
Engaging and managing your
audiences
• Engaging with your key audience
– Stakeholder engagement
– Understanding and engaging with the
different types of media (including print
media and social media)
• Managing your key audience
– Stakeholder management
– Media management

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Module 3
Crisis management
• Planning for a healthcare crisis:
– What is a crisis?
– Planning for a crisis
• Managing a crisis
– Managing the media during a crisis
– Managing internal issues during a
crisis

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Communicating Health Awards
• Best partnership working
• Best visual brand
• Best website
• Best internal communications
• Best media handling

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Communicating Health Awards
• Best use of social media
• Best engagement or consultation
• Best social marketing campaign
• Communicator of the year
• Communications team of the year
• ‘Jonathan Street’ award for
excellence

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Collaboration and partnerships
• Chartered Institute of Public
Relations (CIPR)
• Chartered Institute of Marketing
(CIM)
• National NHS organisations
– NHS IQ/NHS England
– NHS Confederation
– NHS Leadership Academy
– NHS Employers
• Swedish colleagues!