EPR Communications and Engagement Lead

at  Sussex Partnership NHS FoundationTrust

The role requires someone with specialist communication and engagement expertise (as well as energy and enthusiasm) to plan and deliver our new Electronic Patient Record (EPR) to improve quality & safety and to enable efficient working practices, leading to better patient experiences.
As EPR Communications & Engagement Lead you will have a high level of experience in developing and delivering high impact change communication programmes and working in collaboration with both senior and front-line operational and clinical staff.
The post holder should be skilled at engaging with staff and stakeholders and developing effective partnerships to ensure that the EPR is co-designed and user-led.
Interviews are planned for the 17th of September.

The post holder will lead the communications and engagement work stream, working as part of the EPR Programme team and in partnership with the Trust’s Communication team to devise, plan and deliver a communications strategy covering:

• Internal communications, ensuring the Programme can provide information to staff and engage with them through a variety of means, building staff knowledge and confidence.
• External public communications, including seeking out interesting stories and considering appropriate channels for spreading positive news about the Programme.
• External stakeholder communications, ensuring that they are aware of key information about the organisation and briefed on a regular basis, that our messages are communicated effectively, and partners are engaged and supportive of our strategic direction; and
• Digital communications, ensuring that channels are exploited to provide opportunities for engagement as well as broadcast communications and that the trust is using the appropriate channels.

Background
We are implementing a new Electronic Patient Record (EPR) to improve quality & safety and to enable efficient working practises, leading to better patient experiences.
The EPR Communications and Engagement Lead will play a pivotal role in the implementation of the EPR, by planning and delivering the communications and engagement strategy, ensuring milestones are met and risks appropriately managed.

The post holder will lead on planning, identifying and delivering activities to create awareness and understanding and increase staff engagement, morale and participation in the EPR programme to maximise adoption and realisation of benefits and design and delivery of the programme.

• To develop, lead and monitor the communications strategy for the EPR programme, and to drive forward the implementation of that strategy, working collaboratively with clinical and operational colleagues across the Trust, ensuring a proactive and consistent approach is maintained and effective communications are in place when dealing with reactive issues.
• Lead programme level communication activities, and with a focus on maximising engagement and participation with the widest possible range of staff.
• In partnership with the Communications team, develop and implement high quality internal communications to build staff engagement in the EPR programme.
• Distil highly complex information into accessible and engaging content suitable for a range of audiences and tailor them to be used across a range of communications platforms, including media releases, stakeholder newsletters, social media, staff bulletins, online platforms and other channels as needed.
• Ensure reputational issues are escalated appropriately, that plans are put in place to deal with these and that risks are identified, logged and managed.
• Develop and identify events and issues for which the Programme will require a public or media response or for which there are opportunities to promote the Programme, working with the Communications team to ensure activity is delivered.
• Use appropriate evaluation tools to demonstrate the effectiveness of communications strategies and plans, supporting the EPR Programme Director in advising senior leaders of the outcome of such evaluation and advising on any required amendments.
• Use judgement to identify and interpret areas for developing communications capacity across the Programme at all levels (in sometimes complex situations), considering solutions (and any financial implications) and providing advice in order to support effective communication.
• Interpret and implement national policies in relation to communications across the EPR Programme, and work with the Communications team to ensure dissemination within the organisation.
• Deliver objectives and meet deadlines for communication and stakeholder engagement projects, including the management of projects, within timescales and resources.
• Work as part of the EPR Programme team on the planning, management and communication arrangements for all stakeholders, sites and services.
• Continually develop and implement new ways to involve and engage service users, staff, stakeholders and other services.
• Lead on or support events, related to own work workstream or the wider work of the EPR Programme, such as stakeholder sessions, training sessions, etc., in collaboration with the wider programme and other partners where appropriate.
• The post holder will be expected to manage a budget for communications and engagement activities and in line with the allowed budget.

Please refer the Job description for details