Involvement and Membership (I&M) Strategy
Caring to make the difference, with our community
What’s in this strategy?
1. What’s the purpose of involvement and membership? …………
2. First steps – putting the infrastructure in place
………………
3. Our target audiences
………………………………………………
4. How do we reach them?
…………………………………………
5. Getting members involved …………………………………………
6. Membership constituencies
……………………………………..
7. Costs …………………………………………………………………..
8. Measures of success …………………………………………………
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1. What’s the purpose of involvement and membership (I&M)?
The I&M strategy outlines the steps we plan to take in order to build membership of our
Trust. Since an attractive membership proposition depends on offering genuine
opportunities for involvement in our decision making processes and operations, we’ve
integrated the two strands of activity. This combined strategy addresses two goals which
are central to WLMHT’s successful application for Foundation status:
1. Building a representative and active membership base. This involves engaging
service users, carers, staff and members of the public in becoming members of our
Trust. To apply for Foundation Trust (FT) status, we need to secure around 7,000
members by June 2011. A member can receive information, participate in forums,
meetings or events, help develop communications, volunteer or can stand as a
governor on the Members Council.
2. Demonstrating that a range of well-embedded practices around, and
meaningful opportunities for, involvement are in place at WLMHT. This means
engaging with service users and carers, understanding their needs, goals and
expectations and putting those needs at the heart of everything we do. Specifically,
involvement is concerned with exchanging information, joint decision making,
mutual listening, and the understanding that people should be influencing their own
care and the services they receive, a central tenet of the recovery model.
Our adoption of recovery-oriented best practice isn’t critical to FT per se. However,
how far we do so influences patient and carer perceptions of the Trust and as such
predicts our likely ratings with agencies such as the CQC. Good scores here are a
pre-requisite to successful application. It’s important to see involvement and
recovery in this context – as strategic business imperatives, not simply sound
clinical aspirations.
The strategy has been developed so we have adequate processes and measurements in
place to enable us to meet the qualifications for Foundation Trust status by 2012. The
strategy also includes actions to increase, manage and retain members.
Our overarching values of togetherness, responsibility, excellence and caring are reflected
throughout this strategy, and will continue to be reflected in its execution and outcomes.
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The table below illustrates how involvement and membership deliver benefit to WLMHT
and to service users and carers.
WLMHT Trust
Membership




Involvement




Service users and carers
To comply with FT
obligations
To ensure our Governors
are ‘representative’
Better partnership working
A volunteer community


To ensure we look ‘out not
up’
Customer service
intelligence
Focus on the right things
Tangible contribution to
social inclusion & recovery





Voting rights
A lobbying group &
communications hub
A focal point for anti-stigma
campaigning and actions
Communities of interest
Formalised and accountable
service feedback
mechanism
Influence on future plans
and participation in
executing them
Recovery through
meaningful engagement
with the Trust
2. First steps – putting the infrastructure in place
As part of working toward FT status, we continue to face two major related challenges: that
of reducing our cost base and finding ways to streamline processes, particularly in the
Trust’s ‘back office’, and that of sustaining momentum in our culture change process. It’s
therefore important that these issues are addressed from the outset in implementing this
strategy, as in all new initiatives that the Trust embarks on from now.
The success of this strategy depends on the Board committing its active support to:
 A patient-focused culture, led and modelled by our leadership team: Our culture is
still too ‘up and not out’ (a term coined in the Mid Staffs review). We need commitment
from the leadership team, and down the management lines, to own the challenges and
projects and act on the issues. We propose to roll out this strategy through Ops Board
and elicit input and commitment to action from all senior and clinical managers to their
part in this through action planning sessions. Some of this is already underway through
the Patient Experience initiative, but senior management engagement in this is partial.
 Clear and robust Terms of Reference, rooted in WLMHT values: Existing Terms of
Reference for WLMHT’s current involvement work need re-focusing, with the
participation of patients and carers. This includes meetings, workshops, consultations,
payment, measurement and decision making, including how WLMHT reports back. All
of these will be sense-checked against the Trust’s values. We propose to kick off this
work at the same time as the membership strategy implementation. A pre-requisite for
this is clarity about accountability for, and a structure to support, this strategy.
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 Fit-for-purpose database technology: We need to invest in a dedicated relational
database (ie SQL Server technology) that allows us to record, search and group
members against a variety of criteria. In our efforts to retain members we’ll need to
segment them by different attributes so as to communicate with them in a purposefully
targeted way. This is costly and resource intensive without the right technology. We
have identified a supplier who has delivered systems like this to other Trusts (Capita)
and propose beginning discussions with them as early as possible.
 Adding value through Member ‘Hubs’: A hallmark of success in other trusts has
been to create dedicated facilities or ‘member hubs’ for peer support and networking,
internet access, involvement training and general advice. These could be in places
such as Lakeside Internet Café or Ealing’s Café on the Hill. We propose exploring the
costs associated with this, with service users, and determining the minimum feasible
spend to deliver benefit asap.
 Mobilising talent for volunteering: Many trusts have made a virtue of necessity by
involving community-based service users, as well as community members, in elements
of service delivery and monitoring. This could include inpatient visiting, gathering
patient feedback and undertaking surveys, running ward-based activities, working in
communications and so on. We need clarity about what remit and roles volunteers
could usefully fill, the pre-requisites to be a volunteer, and how we would deliver
training. We propose establishing a project team to decide these things and begin the
necessary work as soon as the strategy is signed off.
 Providing training to assure quality: Service user and carer representatives and
governors need clarity of expectation, well defined roles, and support with skills needed
to fulfil their roles effectively. We propose working with the Trust’s L&D team to devise
and deliver this, looking carefully at what other FTs have done, so as not to re-invent
the wheel.
3. Our target audiences
We aim to build an I&M database that is reflective of our community, involving service
users, carers, staff, Trust partners and members of the public. The table below suggests
target groups, and for each, lists the features of the proposition to which they’re likely to be
attracted. Members should be aged 14 years or over.
Target group for membership
Existing WLMHT service user and
carer representatives
All other current service users and
carers
Ex service users and carers
What’s in it for them
 Feel included and listened to.
 Have the opportunity to be involved in Trust
decisions.
 Be part of a concerted effort around antistigma.
 Gain experience in areas that could help with
recovery and employment.
 Ability to elect people to speak on their
behalf.
 Be involved in staff recruitment.
 Access to membership hubs.
 Access to member’s area of website.
 As above, plus
 Opportunity to have an individual voice and
influence, and be given the chance to
become a rep.
 As above, plus
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Staff
Trust partners: Independent providers
 Mental Health charities
 Mental Health support groups
Trust partners: Commissioners and
stakeholders
 GP’s
 Primary Care Trusts
 Local Councils
 Imperial
 TVU and Bucks New Uni
Local community groups
 Schools
 Sporting groups
 Church groups
 Colleges and universities
 Voluntary groups
 Seniors groups
 Youth groups
 BME groups
 Police
Local employers
 Desire to help others in their situation.
 Share their perspective and offer hope for
recovery.
 Have the opportunity to be more involved in
Trust decisions.
 Gain experience in areas that could help their
personal development.
 Be part of a concerted effort around antistigma.
 Improve their own service through gaining
experience and knowledge.
 Stay up to date with Trust news.
 Gain intelligence and lobby services.
 Understand the services they are working
with/can refer to.
 Be part of a concerted effort around antistigma.
 Be involved in staff recruitment.
 Access to membership hubs.
 Access to member’s area of website.
 Improve their own service through gaining
experience and knowledge.
 Stay up to date with Trust news.
 Gain intelligence and influence services.
 Ability to measure and assess quality of
service.
 Understand the services they are working
with/can refer to.
 Be involved in staff recruitment.
 Access to membership hubs.
 Access to member’s area of website.
 Improve their own service through gaining
experience and knowledge.
 Stay up to date with Trust news.
 Increase education materials.
 Gain experience in areas that could help
employment.
 Ability to elect people to speak on their
behalf.
 Be involved in staff recruitment.
 Access to membership hubs.
 Access to member’s area of website.
 Employee and employer participation in antistigma work inc raising charitable funds
(individual and CSR agendas)
 Our support with employee well-being at
work, including partnering on ‘in-company’
services
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4. How do we reach them?
We will be using a range of communication tools and events to build membership.
The draft plan below shows how we will reach our 7,000 member goal by June 2011 and
provides an estimate of the costs involved (please note the costs do not include staff
associated costs such as travel, flex time, overtime etc).
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Time/date
Activity
Approx cost
Dec 2010
Communication to and commitment
from leadership team
Develop sign up stations and
promotional items
Set up I&M project group (user
involvement leads and service user
and carer reps).
Training UI leads, SUs and carers
Communications to Service users and
Carers via info on wards / community
settings
Staff ‘opt out’ communications
Trust-wide Carers Christmas Party
ED and NED recruitment competition
(min 30 members each)
Place sign up stations in GP waiting
rooms, CMHTs, libraries and theatres.
UI leads to speak at ward meetings.
£0
Approx
members
-
£10,000
-
£0
-
£0
Flyers and posters
already printed
-
£0
£0
£0
3500
20
510
£0
100
£0
300
SU and carer leads to recruit members
(proposed incentive of £1 per member,
rather than time-based payment)
Double page spread MHM; news
feature on website
Contact local media
Trust Carer meetings
School talks (40 high schools in our
boroughs)
£1000
1000
£0
20
£0
£0
£800
(£20 prize voucher for
each school)
£400
(£50 prize voucher for
each talk)
£0
20
50
1000
Relying on donations
from clubs for prizes
(eg signed shirts and
balls etc).
£8000 + £8000 in
sponsorship
200
£20,200
7370
Dec 2010
Dec 2010
Dec 2010
Dec 2010
Dec 2010
14 Dec
Dec 2010 –
Mar 2011
Jan 2010
Jan – Apr
2011
Jan – Apr
2011
Jan 2011
Jan 2011
TBA
Jan – Jun
2011
Jan – Jun
2011
Jan – Jun
2011
Jan – Jun
2011
April 2011
University/college talks (possibly
specific to medical, psychology, social
work and nursing courses).
Community group talks
Appropriate community and sporting
events. E.g. Melas, festivals, football
and rugby games etc.
Easter retention and recruitment
event: Mind and body festival, with
mental and physical health workshops
(inc youth and child related). In order
to participate, people sign up as a
member. This would be held in Ealing
(our largest borough).
Total
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100
50
500
5. Getting members involved
We understand that members will want to be involved in a variety of different ways,
depending on their commitments, interests etc. We have identified five levels of
membership involvement. The table below outlines these, explains what we will do in order
to engage them, and shows what actions we need to take to do this.
Member
Involvement
1
Information
only
2
Involvement
from home
3
Interest led
4
Involvement
volunteers
5
Governor
members
Engagement
Actions
Information sent quarterly
Invited to our AGM
Develop quarterly
newsletter and enewsletter.
1 plus:
Develop online
Completing surveys, online
membership area on
feedback from online membership website.
area, email according to interest,
email consultation.
1, 2 plus:
Develop communities of
Communities of interest
interest (by preference,
Regular surveys
issue, geography or
Active in consultation, groups
demographic).
1, 2, 3 plus:
Develop involvement hubs
Attend activity at involvement
in each borough.
hubs
Communities of interest
Develop training and
Meetings, interview panels,
support packages.
forums etc
Training and support
1, 2, 3, 4 plus:
Develop training and
Role of Governor member
support packages.
Strategic involvement
Governor member training and
support
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6. Membership constituencies
Members will fall into one of estimated 25-28 constituencies that are recommended to be:
Constituencies
Staff: Nurses
Staff: Medical
Staff: Therapies and other disciplines
Staff: Corporate
PCTs
Local authorities
National Commissioning
Universities
Borough based constituencies
 Ealing
 H&F
 Hounslow
 Other
Number of seats
2
1
1
1
2
3
1
2
12-15 in total
 6-7
 3-4
 2-3
 1
7. Costs
Below are approximate one-off, set-up costs of the I&M programme, and also the
recurring, annual costs.
Action
Breakdown
Information and
mailings
Quarterly newsletter (hardcopy)
e-newsletter (approx. 4,000 members)
Membership
hubs
Database
Promotional
materials
Staff expenses
Training and
support
Other
Sub total
Recruitment,
retention and
engagement
GRAND TOTAL
Approx setup costs
(one-off )
£1000 design
£2,500
£10,000
Approx
annual cost
2011/12
£2,000 print
(included in
database)
£15,000
postage
£2,000
£16,000
£7,000
Done
£500
£500
£12,200
-
£1,000
£500
£1,500
£500
£5,000
£500
£4,000
£46,700
£4,000
£39,000
£ 8,200
£10,200
£54,900
£49,200
Mailing of letters/newsletters/MHM
(approx. 3,000 members opt post)
Membership area of website
Construction and maintenance of
hubs, including IT support
Based on the lowest cost package of
Capita’s ‘Membership Management
Online’ program inc customisation
Posters, flyers, forms and postcards
Promotional items
Election marketing material
Travel expenses
Membership recruitment (page 5)
Governor training
-
Contingency c 10%
The set-up costs (page 5), and the
annual costs including new
recruitment and retention event.
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Note that this excludes costs for the governor membership department framework
and any election costs as this is understood to be accounted for in the FT project.
As a sense-check, we’ve compared our budget to that of other successful foundation
Trusts:
 Nottinghamshire Shire Healthcare NHS Trust’s I&M budget is £53,390 with additional
membership costs of £2000 for IT support, £10,000 for engagement and promotion and
£10,000 for communities of interest, making their total I&M budget £72,390 annually.
 North Essex NHS Foundation Trust’s budget is £10,000 for promotional materials
alone.
8. Measures of success
We will know how we are doing by looking at:
 Quality and quantity of on-going feedback through membership area of website; text,
email, suggestion boxes, ‘mystery shopping’.
 Qualitative feedback through patient and carer surveys, PETs, PALs, complaints,
advocacy, depth interviews in problem spots, focus groups on known issues, and
quantitative analysis of trends in these areas.
 Membership numbers; number of communities of interest and participation levels;
volunteer numbers; database statistics including retention / churn rates, opt-outs,
trends re numbers choosing different levels of membership and increasing level of
membership participation.
As part of project initiation, we would agree realistic but stretching goals, particularly with
regard to the last group of quantitative measures that we can readily and regularly track
through database reporting.
Lucy McGee, Director of Communications
Megan Singleton, Communications Manager
Ruth Lewis
Director of Organisation Development & Workforce
November 2010
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