Communicating change
It is important to communicate the change your improvement project will bring about by engaging relevant stakeholders and creating awareness through engagement activities.
A Stakeholder Engagement Plan is a way to communicate with project stakeholders (consumers, carers, families and clinicians/non-clinical staff on the unit/ team, hospital executives etc) to achieve their support for your Seclusion Reduction improvement project.
It specifies the frequency and type of communications and communication activities that will help communicate, build and maintain stakeholder engagement with your improvement project at all levels.
Use the Stakeholder Engagement Plan – Guide and Template for your Seclusion Reduction improvement project.
Each of your stakeholder groups will have unique characteristics, needs and motivations and will require different engagement activities to communicate with them effectively.
Some ideas include:
- Visualise the Seclusion and Restraints Declaration – The National Mental Health Commission launched in 2013, e.g. Display in office
- Include seclusion reduction improvement project updates in Safety Huddles
- Creating a Quality Learning Board on the units/ service or handing out educational factsheets, information and/or data about the improvement project
- Setting a standing agenda item or PowerPoint presentation at regular safety and quality/clinical council/clinical governance meetings
- Using local mental health nursing, psychiatry/ medical officers, pharmacy and Seclusion Reduction champions to advocate for improvement and support clinicians in the units and teams
- Holding a project launch, workshop or integrating engagement activities into existing local events e.g. mental health forums, grand rounds, NSW Health Awards.
- Utilising service wide communication channels such as eNewsletters or intranets
- Using Nursing Handover time or staff meetings to provide short, regular updates
- Creating posters, lanyards and computer screensavers
- Conducting a quiz, creating social media posts or sending email communications
- Distributing information to general practitioners or Visiting Medical Officers (in rural and regional areas).