What We Did

Because this needed to be something different, we created a brand for the programme, simply named ‘The Big Conversation’ with a dedicated email address and each submission receiving a personalised response.

We designed virtual workshops featuring online tools where the results of attendees’ input could be viewed instantly, e.g. brightly-coloured word clouds, polls and surveys. No matter how big the group, colleagues introduced themselves and shared something unique, helping people to re-connect, gain the confidence to speak within the forum, and meet new colleagues.

Our involvement included holding the pen on the new vision, core purpose, strategic priorities, and values statements. Our approach was iterative, crafting and updating them carefully in response to every conversation until we had achieved consensus of opinion from all groups.

We ensured that all voices were represented and heard, holding sessions with the BAME, LGBTQ+, disability and international nurses groups at both the beginning and the end of the programme to ensure they had early input and were able to confirm their comments had been heard. Feedback was overwhelmingly positive and all group members said they recognised their influence in the emergent statements.

We also made sure that people without easy digital access were involved. Once early ideas had emerged, we created an engagement pack for leaders which included a slide deck, instructions for facilitating, an easy-read guide to the suggestions so far, and a simple form so they could capture feedback in an easy and consistent way. We also organised mobile, manned stands outside ward areas later in the programme to capture staff coming into and out of work areas.

The programme was underpinned by a comprehensive communications programme, including newsletters, social media, web and intranet content.

The Result

Over four months, we facilitated discussions and gathered feedback from more than 1,000 individual staff voices in addition to service users, carers, voluntary sector and others to determine what was important to them, what CWPT should set its sights on achieving, what success would look/feel like, and the part they could play in achieving the goals set.

The new vision and strategy for the Trust was formally launched across multiple site locations in May 2022, accompanied by a social media push, and was shared widely with CWPT colleagues, executives and the wider community, including service users and carers. The strategy is continuing to influence every aspect of the Trust as they move towards becoming a recognised teaching trust that supports the health and wellbeing of those in the local community.

Colleagues at CWPT said:

"The output is a culmination of a thorough process including input from all interested stakeholders. It's value will become apparent over the next years as we use it to guide our priorities. I fully support the strategy and the intention outlined within"

"The strength of the consultation and engagement is really clear"