Ambulance Services in Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield

41 Pages·2014·0.76 MB·English

Ambulance Services in Durham Dales, Easington
and Sedgefield
Communications and Engagement Plan

Background
Durham Dales, Easington and Sedgefield (DDES) Clinical Commissioning Group
(CCG) is committed to ensuring that the ambulance services it commissions are
safe, of high quality and provide value for money. In addition, the CCG is committed
to seeing an improvement in ambulance response times across the CCG area.
DDES CCG is currently conducting a review of local ambulance services. Its aim is
to ensure that these have improved response times, and that they are safe and
equitable across the three CCG localities of Durham Dales, Easington and
Sedgefield.
The CCG has spent the last 14 months developing proposals for change, which will
be implemented later this year, working with representatives of members of the
public from each of its three areas. This work has taken place through regular
meetings of an Ambulance Patient Reference Group, and through additional
meetings with the existing Durham Dales Ambulance Monitoring Group.
These meetings have given public representatives from each part of the DDES CCG
area the opportunity to work in partnership with the CCG, as well as with
representatives of the North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
(NEAS).
Before any changes are implemented, DDES CCG is committed to communicating
clear messages about the intended changes to local people across its wider
communities. The CCG is also committed to engaging local people to give them the
opportunity to make sure they fully understand the changes and to discuss their
impact, along with any specific issues or concerns that people may have in relation
to these.
This document gives an overview of the case for change and contains a
communications and engagement plan that sets out how the CCG will communicate
and engage with local people.
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The case for change and specific proposals
DDES CCG considers the specific needs of people across its three localities when
commissioning local health services. In relation to the provision of the ambulance
service, the CCG aims to commission a service that is equitable and offers the best
possible outcome to people wherever they may live in the DDES CCG area.
To achieve this, the CCG has made additional, significant financial investment to the
provision of ambulance services locally. This is extra funding, over and above the
standard ambulance service contract funding.
For example, last year DDES CCG invested an additional £640,000 into the
provision of local ambulance services.
The CCG will continue to invest additional funding, but it needs to ensure that
resources are optimised, and that the ambulance services provided safely meet the
needs of people living in all three of the CCG localities (Durham Dales, Easington
and Sedgefield).
To ensure that this continues to happen, the CCG has been working with North East
Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (NEAS) and local people through an
Ambulance Patient Reference Group and Durham Dales Ambulance Monitoring
Group.
The ambulance PRG consists of members of the public from each of the three DDES
localities. It has been fully involved in the development of proposals for change, and
will also be involved in leading engagement work around the changes within local
communities.
DDES CCG is proposing to provide an improved, more equitable ambulance service.
This will focus on:
 improved response times
 unifying the skills-mix of crews across its localities, as already exist across the
rest of the North East of England
 ensuring that ambulances are taken out of area from the Dales less often
 using the change in skills mix to ensure that more paramedics can be made
available in the busiest parts of the CCG area and that an additional rapid
response vehicle can be provided.

Double paramedic ambulance crews are not normally found in areas other than that
covered by DDES CCG. By introducing crews including Emergency Care Assistants
(ECAs), as well as First Responders within local communities, the CCG can make
sure that it optimises resources for everybody and that there is an improvement in
ambulance response times.
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Experienced ambulance crews will also be supported to develop additional skills that
will allow more patients to be treated at home, where appropriate. This will reduce
the need for transport to hospitals, and increase the time that ambulances are
available.
First Responders will be available in local communities to further support the work of
existing ambulance crews.

Communications
The issue of ambulance response times has attracted significant interest in the local
media, with some inaccurate reports in local newspapers. This plan aims to address
how the CCG, working with key partners, can provide a more balanced picture of
how it commissions ambulance services and strives to improve related response
times for the benefit of the CCG’s population.

Engagement
In developing these changes, DDES CCG has been working with a DDES CCG-wide
Ambulance Patient Reference Group and the Durham Dales Ambulance Monitoring
Group.
This engagement has taken place through regular meetings over the past 14
months, and feedback from these meetings has informed and underpinned the
development of the changes that will take place.
To provide assurance surrounding service outcomes following change, the CCG has
negotiated a memorandum of understanding with NEAS. This sets out an agreement
between the CCG and NEAS that the changes, following wider engagement with
local people, will form part of the full ambulance contract and that NEAS will commit
to targets to improve ambulance response times once the changes are established.
It is important to note that, although the memorandum of understanding has been
agreed, this does not yet constitute a legal part of the ambulance contract and is not
at this stage binding. It is intended to provide reassurance to the CCG, and those
already engaged, of NEAS’ commitment to improve ambulance response times. The
memorandum of understanding also provides a framework for the next stage of
communications and engagement.
The next stage of communications and engagement will give DDES CCG the
opportunity to inform and listen to its wider local communities throughout the change
process. This will ensure that a cross-section of local people will have the
opportunity to tell the CCG what they think about the changes, identify any concerns
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or issues that they may have in relation to these and remain involved throughout the
change process itself.

Communications and engagement objectives
A refreshed and continued plan of communications and engagement, building on the
previous engagement in relation to ambulance services in DDES, will ensure that the
following objectives are met:
1. clear and consistent messages will be effectively communicated to local
people, partners and stakeholders in the DDES CCG area
2. local people, partners and stakeholders will remain engaged and involved
throughout the change process
3. by undertaking the above, collaborative approach via CCG commissioning
functions, the CCG will put in place measures to improve ambulance
response times across the CCG area.

To this end, the purpose of the communications and engagement plan, detailed in
Appendix 1 of this document, is to:
 effectively communicate clear messages
 provide more balance to media coverage
 give local people, groups and communities the opportunity to have their say
on changes
 help the CCG to understand and consider any concerns, issues and impact
that may result from change
 fully involve people in the change process.

Communications activities
The following communications activities will be undertaken:
 tailored press releases for local newspapers – Teesdale Mercury, Weardale
Gazette, Northern Echo
 ‘meet the Editor’ briefing sessions with the Teesdale Mercury and Weardale
Gazette
 dedicated section on CCG website
 social media activity – Facebook, YouTube and Twitter
 highlight discussions that take place at Ambulance PRG meetings
 syndicated Information for internal newsletters, e-bulletins and paid for media
supplements
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 advertising in Teesdale Mercury, Weardale Gazette, Northern Echo, Parish
Newsletters
 radio advertising (Radio Teesdale)
 posters, leaflets, brochures inc distribution/mail drop

Overarching key messages
The communications activities aim to deliver the following overarching messages:
 DDES CCG is committed to engaging, involving and communicating with its
local communities throughout the development and implementation of
changes to its ambulance service
 DDES CCG is committed to working with its service providers, partners and
key stakeholders to commission ambulance services that are high quality,
safe and value for money
 As part of its engagement work and commissioning activity, the CCG is
committed to improving ambulance response times across the CCG area
 The CCG is investing in Ambulance services – the level of investment by the
CCG will increase in 2014/15 and the ring fence for the Durham Dales will
remain for a further 2 years till March 2016 if the crews can be aligned to the
same skills mix as the remainder of the region.

Engagement Activities
The following engagement activities will take place:
 briefing and updates to Adults, Wellbeing and Health Overview and Scrutiny
Committee and Health and Wellbeing Board
 briefing, updates and partnership working with Healthwatch County Durham
 development of frequently asked questions document
 briefings and meetings with key stakeholders
 surveys
 CCG website
 Survey Monkey
 hard copies
 My NHS members
 GP Practice Patient Groups and locality Patient Reference Groups
 targeted groups and individuals such as “hard to reach” groups and
relevant community and voluntary sector groups
 public Events
 discussion with CCG Member GP practices – meeting / survey
 discussion with Ambulance Provider staff (NEAS) – meeting / survey
 other specific meetings as required.

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The full communications and engagement plan is contained within Appendix 1 of this
document.

Stakeholders
Those engaged will include:
 patients
 carers
 members of the public
 DDES CCG Ambulance Patient Reference Group
 Dales Ambulance Monitoring Group
 DDES CCG Locality Patient Reference Groups
 DDES CCG My NHS members
 Healthwatch County Durham
 Health Networks
 Area Action Partnerships (AAPs)
 local community and voluntary sector groups and organisations
 MPs / Local Councillors
 Overview and Scrutiny
 NEAS communications team
 NEAS clinicians
 Hospital Trusts
 neighbouring CCGs
 Northern Echo and Advertiser
 Teesdale Mercury
 Weardale Gazette
 Radio Teesdale
 Parish Councils
 Parish Council newsletters
 Urgent Care Leads
 CCG Forum
 CCG Urgent Care Groups
 NHS England
 independent contractors e.g. GPs, opticians, dentists, pharmacists
 Public Health England
 NECS
 other key stakeholders and partners

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Equality and Diversity
Consideration will be given to equality and diversity throughout the engagement
process. This will include consideration of the diversity of local communities within
the DDES CCG area.
Statutory obligations in relation to equality and diversity will be met, including
targeted engagement, as appropriate, of groups with protected characteristics.
These groups are defined by the Equality Act 2010 as:
 age
 gender reassignment
 marriage or civil partnership
 pregnancy or maternity
 disability
 race
 religion
 sex
 sexual orientation

Information will be provided in different formats and languages if requested.

Mitigation of potential Issues and Risks
 Members of the public, not already engaged during the first stage of
engagement, may interpret the memorandum of understanding in a way
that may reinforce recent negative press and feel that they have not been
given the opportunity to shape the proposals before they have been
agreed:
 Ensure communications plan is adhered to
 Ensure appropriate stakeholders are invited to public events
 Advise CCG of any issues that arise
 Prepare briefing and FAQs for individuals, community and voluntary
sector groups and other stakeholders.

 Stakeholders feel that they have not been fully involved:
 Ensure all stakeholders receive appropriate updates and feedback
 Ensure appropriate stakeholders are invited to the public event
 Ensure clear communication of messages through robust
communications plan, including updates on CCG website,
newsletters, bulletins and through My NHS.

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 Members of the public are unduly worried or concerned about ambulance
service provision:
 Ensure communications plan is adhered to
 Advise CCG of any local issues that arise
 Prepare briefing and FAQs for individuals, community and voluntary
sector groups and other stakeholders.

 Negative media coverage / resistance from existing stakeholders:
 Ensure contact is maintained with current providers
 Prepare positive proactive / reactive media statements

 Managing expectations of members of the public:
 Ensure communications plan is adhered to
 Advise CCG of any local issues that arise
 Prepare briefing and FAQs for individual patients, community and
voluntary sector, Healthwatch County Durham and other
stakeholders as appropriate

Supporting Materials
The following materials will be developed to support the engagement activities:
 briefing document
 frequently asked questions sheet
 online “Survey Monkey” questionnaire
 hard copy questionnaires
 media information
 materials for public event as required

Timescale
21 July 2014 to 30 September 2014

Evaluation and Feedback
Information and feedback from the engagement activities will be evaluated and used
to inform reaction, impact, implementation of change and future commissioning
intentions. Feedback will be offered to all those involved in the engagement
activities.
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Appendix 1

Ambulance Service
Communications and Engagement Action Plan
Activity Detail Who? When?
Liaison with OSC officer To determine involvement CCG Complete
NECS
Liaison with Area Team Seek advice and provide outline timetable CCG On-going
NECS
Prepare outline briefing for Outline service change, rationale and CCG Complete
OSC engagement activity
NECs
Healthwatch Liaison with Healthwatch re input/support CCG On-going
available
NECS
Adults, Wellbeing and Attendance and briefing paper with Chair and CCG 18 July 2014
Health Overview and Overview and Scrutiny Officers
NECS
Scrutiny

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Activity Detail Who? When?
Briefing for MPs / Local Prepare and circulate letters. NECS July 2014
Councillors
Discussion with local GPs TBC CCG August 2014

Engagement documentation Prepare leaflet, poster and feedback form, NECS July 2014
drafted for approval stands etc. Identify any other requirements.
Agree feedback and Part of NECS process NECS Complete
recording mechanisms
CCG
Engagement with provider NEAS to advise NEAS TBC by NEAS
staff
CCG
Engagement documentation Leaflets, feedback forms, frequently asked NECS End July 2014
produced questions document

Circulation of engagement Prepare and circulate letter/briefing and CCG August / September 2014
materials engagement materials.
NECS
This will include distribution to:
Healthwatch County
Community and voluntary sector Durham
organisations
NEAS
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