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

1. Anita Knowles
Director of Communications

2. Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust
1. History
2. Biomedical Research Centre – Play video
3. Current UK context
4. Our response
5. Communications Q&A

3. Current UK context
• Financial restraint and pressure on budgets
• NHS reforms
- GP led commissioning & creation of NHS England
- drive to centralise specialist care (we are the largest UK
provider) vs moving care out of hospital
• Mid Staffs scandal
- wake up call for NHS & Government
- renewed focus on quality, safety & transparency
- ensuring staff have the confidence to speak out

4. • Rising demand and patient expectations
- ageing population
- new treatments and technology (personalised medicine)
- focus on care & compassion and listening to patients
• New models of care
- raising standards & reducing costs, 7 day working
- Simon Stevens: “Think like a patient, behave like a
taxpayer”
• Political climate and forthcoming General Election
- pay restraint in growing economy & union unrest
- our unique location and profile

5. • Francis Listening Exercise - 2,000 staff and values refresh
- Barbara’s Story – creating a climate where it is ok to
talk about compassion and kindness across the total
workforce
• Financial challenge – Fit for the Future programme
combines safety, quality and efficiency and has delivered
£80 million cost improvements in 2013/14
• Determination to remain successful - generating
surpluses to reinvest in £160 million Cancer Centre, Evelina
2 and IT transformation etc
Our response

6. Show Showing We Care DVD – Play video
Show Eloise’s comms film – Play video
Communications Q&A
Anita Knowles
Director of Communications
anita.knowles@gstt.nhs.uk