The more that we understand our members' needs and concerns the more effectively we can represent their interests, focus on the issues that really matter and provide the products and services that members really need.
Site visits
The policy team run a programme of site visits throughout the year. Visiting our members at their trusts is invaluable in helping us to get a fuller understanding of what is happening on the front line and the issues and concerns facing acute trusts both at the local and national level.
They also provide an opportunity to for us to find out about the many areas of innovation anmd best practice within individual trusts, enabling us to highlight the excellent work that is taking place within the NHS and share learning across the system.
If you are interested in hosting a site visit with a member of our policy team, you can contact jenny.hawkins@nhsconfed.org
Consultations
We regularly consult with our members on key issues and polic developments that impact upon acute trusts.
We use the feedback that we receive to help inform our discussions with policy makers, key influencers and stakeholders.
Consultations of specific interest to the acute sector include:
Sounding board
We are working to create a new sounding board of acute sector members.
The idea is to provide a flexible way for members to feed into and help shape our work programmes. Members of the board may be asked to contribute in a variety of ways including:
- helping to steer the focus and content of our work programmes
- contributing evidence and inputting into case studies to support our work
- acting as a reference point for rapid informal consultation on key issues.
Members can chose the mehtod via which they would like to participate and this could be via email or via telephone. We may also ask members of the sounding board to complete rapid response mini-polls and online surveys.
Members of the board will in turn be given first refusal to represent acute trusts at meetings with key policy makers and incluencers or on national advisory groups for the Department of Health and other key stakeholders.
The board also provides a great opportunity for members to highlight and promote the good practice and excellent wotk taking place within their trusts.
If you are interested in becoming a member of the sounding board or would like to find out more, you can contact Joe Farrington-Douglas, senior policy manager at joe.farrington-douglas@nhsconfed.org.
In Touch
Keep an eye on our monthly In Touch e-newsletter that provides further information about about how you can get involved in our work and the wider work of the NHS Confederation.