Editor's blog Thursday 12 May 2011:The cynical contempt of the Future Forum listening farce

I’ve previously mentioned the lovely story that the Future Forum listening exercise doesn’t receive incoming phone calls.

Further to that, a friend recently pointed out that various media have reported that the Future Forum will submit a report to Downing Street on 23 May. Yet curiously, the deadline for responses is 31st May. There is no point in submitting during that last week.

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I’ve been pleasantly surprised by readers’ efforts to take part in the listening exercise, and the emails below tell the story of how easy it is made for aspiring participants – which is to say not easy.

Indeed, broadly, it’s not possible. As the following four efforts to get in touch with the Future Forum DH listening exercise’s activity via strategic health authorities – as per their London HQ information – clearly show. UPDATE: Another SHA briefing to staff has been sent through, and also appears below.

Strategic Health Authority 1
From: SENDER
Sent: May 2011
To: REDACTED
Subject: Listening Exercise

I am contacting you to see if you could provide me with a list of forthcoming events organised as part of the Listening Exercise and Future Forum in the REDACTED Strategic Health Authority. We would like to have the opportunity to inform colleagues of any forthcoming events in their local areas that they could participate in. We have been advised by the DH Listening Exercise team based in London to contact you directly for details of forthcoming events. I would be grateful if you could provide me with these so we can inform our colleagues.

From: REDACTED
Sent: May 2011
To:
Subject: RE: Listening Exercise
Across the region we will be discussing the themes of the listening exercise in existing meetings, networks and forums - we are not holding any separate events.

We have promoted the listening exercise to our staff, patients, public and key stakeholders using existing mechanisms. Also encouraging people to feedback to the Department of Health - http://www.theshainquestion.nhs.uk/NHSwhitepaper

From:  SENDER
Thank you for your email. Could you provide me with the list of existing meetings that you mention in your email that would be relevant?

From: REDACTED
Sent: May 2011
To: SENDER
Subject: RE: Listening Exercise

Apologies but these are fixed regular meetings with agreed membership and would not be appropriate for your colleagues to attend.

Should any appropriate open meetings come up then I will let you know.


Strategic Health Authority 2
From: SENDER
Sent: May 2011
To: REDACTED
Subject: Listening Exercise

I am contacting you to see if you could provide me with a list of forthcoming events organised as part of the Listening Exercise and Future Forum in REDACTED Strategic Health Authority. We would like to have the opportunity to inform colleagues of any forthcoming events in their local areas that they could participate in. We have been advised by the DH Listening Exercise team based in London to contact you directly for details of forthcoming events.
 
I would be grateful if you could provide me with these.

From: REDACTED
Sent: May 2011
To: SENDER
Subject: RE: Listening Exercise

As Prof Steve Field’s letter this week, all NHS organisations in the region are holding internal events with staff and meeting with other partners and stakeholders to discuss the listening exercise themes.  We do not hold information regarding all of these events; however, your colleagues should be being kept informed by their employing organisations.

Strategic Health Authority 3
From: SENDER
Sent: May 2011
To: REDACTED
Subject: Listening Exercise

I am contacting you to see if you could provide me with a list of forthcoming events organised as part of the Listening Exercise and Future Forum in REDACTED Strategic Health Authority. We would like to have the opportunity to inform colleagues of any forthcoming events in their local areas that they could participate in. We have been advised by the DH Listening Exercise team based in London to contact you directly for details of forthcoming events.
I would be grateful if you could provide me with these.

From: REDACTED
Sent: May 2011
To: SENDER
Subject: RE: Listening Exercise

Thank you for your request. For the most part, health organisations in the region are not holding separate, specific Listening Forums but are using their current planned events and meetings to engage with staff and stakeholders.

To find out about local events, I’d recommend your colleagues contact their organisation’s Communications and Engagement team.

Otherwise, as I’m sure you are aware, there is more information on how to give your views at the website: http://healthandcare.dh.gov.uk/

Strategic Health Authority 4
From: SENDER
Sent: May 2011
To: REDACTED
Subject: Listening Exercise

I am contacting you to see if you could provide me with a list of forthcoming events organised as part of the Listening Exercise and Future Forum in REDACTED Strategic Health Authority. We would like to have the opportunity to inform colleagues of any forthcoming events in their local areas that they could participate in. We have been advised by the DH Listening Exercise team based in London to contact you directly for details of forthcoming events.
 
I would be grateful if you could provide me with these.

From: REDACTED
Sent: May 2011
To: SENDER
Subject: RE: Listening Exercise

I have been in touch with the Department of Health, which advises me that there is no specific event tailored for your colleagues. However, those in our region will be extended the opportunity to contribute to events within their individual workplaces, which they will be made aware of by those organisations, and if your executive would like to make a submission, then the Department suggests that they do this by using the materials available on its website. For ease, I include the link below.
http://healthandcare.dh.gov.uk/listening-exercise-how-to-get-involved/

Strategic Health Authority 5's chief executive's briefing to staff
"I only know as much as you know from reading the press and watching the broadcast news. As I mentioned already, Sir David Nicholson’s letter on the structure of the NCB has been delayed, probably till later this week. But it’s important to remember what he has said: We must go forward with delivering QIPP and reforms to the system to improve quality of care and productivity.

"The SHA has a crucial role to play in helping ensure the Reforms are strengthened via the Listening Exercise:
• Our approach is to use existing meetings, events and forums to gather views from staff, GPs, patients, public and others, rather than to arrange new, separate meetings or events specifically for the Listening Exercise.

• SHA Exec Directors are working with their teams to ensure the listening exercise themes and questions are covered in any relevant meetings over the next few weeks.

• The comms team have prepared some materials (scribe templates, table signs etc) for you to use if you wish.

• Feedback needs to go to the comms team by 24 May please – there is a special email address set up for this: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

• We’ll then be submitting all the feedback from SHA discussions and around the patch to the DH for their consideration.

• Next week’s staff briefing date may be used for our own listening exercise session for SHA staff. It’s important that people come along, at all levels in the organisation, so that SHA staff feedback is also included. (A show of hands indicated that approx 20-25 people likely come to the listening exercise. It is probably easiest for Deanery staff to hold their own discussion – we can send them the materials – and they can feed back to the email address above)".