The Richmond Group of Charities

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.

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

Key Publications www.richmondgroupofcharities.org.uk

Focus and Key Achievements

One reason why we need to work together

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

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

Secondments into DH to develop the Guidance for CCGs and NHSCB

Representative on the NHS Commissioning Board

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

Ten Top Tips for an effective coalition

• 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)

Set up

Ten Top Tips for an effective coalition

• 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)

Ways of working

Ten Top Tips for an effective coalition

• 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

Sustaining

Key Message to leave you withEffective 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?