The Richmond Group of Charities

1. The Richmond Group of Charities

2. Mission statement ‘We are an alliance of patient charities which think the health and care system can and must transform what it does so it can give people longer, healthier lives. We believe there is sufficient money within the NHS to achieve this in health, although there is a crisis in funding for social care which needs to be remedied. Doctors, managers and politicians don’t speak for patients. Patients do. They need to be heard so that the right changes are made now – and we can make that happen.’ We came together to achieve jointly what we cannot achieve individually. That is: • To champion the cause of improved outcomes and productivity through patient-centred, high-quality care; • To disrupt the conversation between professionals and policymakers by bringing patient voices into health decision-making; • To encourage the kind of transformational change which will most improve outcomes and experience for patients: a reorganisation of the system to make it more preventative, integrated and patient-centred.

3. Aims of influencing plan • Position the Richmond Group as thought leaders in health policy discussion • Articulate a vision for transformational change that places patients at the centre of healthcare • Build relationships with key policy stakeholders and shape policy debates • Ensure the Richmond Group is seen by Government and policy makers as innovators, experts and solutions-focused • Ensure that the patient voice is at the heart of health and social care policy debates

4. Key Publications www.richmondgroupofcharities.org.uk

5. Focus and Key Achievements

6. One reason why we need to work together

7. Common areas of interest • Co ordination of care • Patients engaged in decisions about their care • Supported self management • Prevention, early diagnosis and intervention • Emotional, psychological and practical support

8. Access to the Bill team to support wording of the final Bill

9. Secondments into DH to develop the Guidance for CCGs and NHSCB

10. Representative on the NHS Commissioning Board

11. Bringing the Patients voice to the PM as part of the ‘Listening Event’ for the Health Bill

12. Ten Top Tips for an effective coalition Set up • Get senior level engagement on the principles of what the focus of the work is first – this frees people up later • The role of the secretariat / facilitator is very important, consistency is very important, the skills set is more facilitative than project management • Build trust and relationships (even more important than you think)

13. Ten Top Tips for an effective coalition Ways of working • Be clear on the ground rules of the coalition before any work starts • Ensure any individual within the group can speak for the group • Getting agreement within the group on detail has to be quick and pragmatic • Never forget the power and force is in being seen to agree (any disagreement within the group must be kept private)

14. Ten Top Tips for an effective coalition Sustaining • Periodically keep coming back to agreed purpose and scope, helps keep everyone focused • When new people join the group spend time getting them up to speed and build those relationships • Keep a record of the group history and successes

15. Key Message to leave you with Effective relationships, credibility and trust between people achieves more than just good processes do! If we know this why do we concentrate more time, energy and expertise on process?