A huge campaign delivering messaging around the opening of the UK’s newest hospital has been shortlisted for a prestigious HSJ Award.
Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust has been shortlisted for NHS Communications Initiative of the Year, after preparing 750,000 people in the local area for the opening of the Midland Metropolitan University Hospital.
Two long-standing A&Es closed to make way for the state-of-the-art facility, and the campaign focused on ensuring residents knew where to go to receive the care they would need in a life-threatening emergency, as well as when to choose an Urgent Treatment Centre for other issues.
A bold communications and engagement plan was drawn up to reach every corner of the community, utilising a range of channels including GP waiting rooms, social media, in-person engagement sessions and signage on West Midland’s buses.
Broadcast, radio and print media were also brought on board to ensure important public health messaging was shared as widely as possible. ITV’s live opening day coverage reached thousands, showing the last patient leaving City Hospital (now City Health Campus) and the first babies born at the Midland Met.
Messages were also tailored for diverse communities as in Sandwell alone, over one-in-ten residents don’t speak English as a first language. Along with translating messages, the Trust engaged trusted local voices such as shopkeepers and faith leaders to spark real, impactful conversations with a range of local communities.
The Trust also set up a network of Move Champions to prepare staff who were transitioning to the new site, so that they could familiarise themselves with new systems and continue to provide safe care as soon as the hospital opened.
Laura Broster, Director of Communications for Sandwell and West Birmingham Trust, said: “We worked hard to communicate with our local communities, making sure that the right messages reached the right audiences at the right time. This meant ensuring that patients, the public, and our staff all had clear and timely information to support the changes to local NHS care at the point the new hospital opened.
“By increasing awareness and understanding, we helped people know exactly where to go for care and how best to use our services.
“The campaign safely guided everyone through the changes, celebrating the successful opening of The Midland Met and I’m incredibly proud of every person who has been involved in shaping our strategy and delivering this important piece of work.”
The HSJ Awards recognise the excellence of projects, initiatives, and innovations that shape healthcare in the UK.
The awards ceremony will be held in London on 20 November.