We know you are facing unprecedented demand and are working harder than ever to care for your patients.
The resources on this page have been developed by us to help you and your teams to effectively communicate with your patients.
The following materials, if used across your communication channels (incuding, social media, posters in waiting areas and practice websites), will help keep your patients informed and answer some queries and issues before they get to your door.
You are the most effective communicator to your patients. They know you. They trust you (a November 2020 Ipsos Mori poll on trust found that 95 per cent of the public trust nurses and 91 per cent trust doctors). Being open, accountable and human will help you connect with your patients and build your relationship, even when times are hard.
We can’t keep everyone happy all the time, but if patients are well informed, they are far less likely to become abusive or aggrieved.
We will continue to put messages out across Kent and Medway about the challenges facing primary care, how to best use the NHS, vaccinations, national campaigns, cancer, mental health and much more. You can see these easily by following our social media channels (links on the right hand side of the page).
If you need help or advice on specific communication issues, please contact the NHS Kent and Medway communications and engagement team.
Toolkits and guides
You may wish to create a communications and engagement plan for your practice generally. You should do this in consultation with your PPG who are likely to have useful input into the types of channels suitable for your patient population.
Communications and engagement plans are critical when planning a change, whether that's a merger, a move or a change to services.
This Communication and engagement plan template gives the structure for the things you will need to consider and plan for.
Practice changes
If your practice is going through a change, a merger, a boundary change, a significant change of staff of leadership, you should communicate and engage with your patients. We have put together a practice changes toolkit to support you through some of the most common changes, which gives some tips and advice as well as some templates you can adapt to make relevant for your circumstances.
It is critical to keep your website up-to-date and create a place where, if patients are having trouble getting through on the phone, they can go to find out what’s happening and understand if there are other ways to contact the practice (eConsult or NHS 111, for example).
It is your shop window and should, if managed correctly and kept up-to-date, help you avoid complaints. It may be the single most useful thing to help manage queries as you should be able to simply direct most people to your website.
It is helpful to have information on your home page explaining the pressures you are experiencing. Material for your website can be found in the boxes below.
Useable and accessible websites
NHS England has recently published a helpful guide for practices and PCNs on creating a useable and accessible GP website.
Website improvement project
They have also produced a national website benchmarking and improvement tool.
All practices have now had their benchmarking results, read the toolkit guide and FAQs.
Web content should be:
- short and to the point
- in plain English, no medical jargon
- well-structured and easy to find.
You should have this information clearly on the home page:
- an explanation of any challenges and any actions you are taking to address
- expected response times, in and out-of-hours
- clear link to any online consultation service or apps you use, with an explanation of what they are and how they work in your practice
- expected response times, in and out-of-hours to set expectations
- 111 message.
You should also clearly display:
- most recent Covid advice and details of any vaccinations /testing
- flu vaccination details
- your contact details.
NHS England also carried out some useful user testing on general practice websites
Social media is where much of the conversation about your practice and your services is happening. And, if you aren’t there, you can’t be part of the conversation. It is daunting sometimes to ‘be the face’ of some of the issues, but people will always appreciate openness even when their issues can’t be solved.
If you don’t have time to run several accounts, facebook will be the most valuable. As well as starting a page, you should join local community groups. This will be where much of the conversation takes place. Some community groups will allow you to join as your page, some may not and may require you to join via a personal page. People in general will appreciate seeing a human face and it gives your practice the opportunity to dispel myths or correct some posts. If you don't have a voice on these platforms, other people's voices will tell your story for you.
Top tips:
- be human – show the human ‘face’ of your practice, use the first person (I, we, you) where possible and try not use jargon or technical language
- don’t be defensive
- be clear and use plain English
- use video if you are able, video from your mobile phone is fine – it doesn’t have to be professional
Some examples of good GP facebook pages:
Guidance on moderating social media content
If you would like any guidance or advice on setting up or running social media accounts, please contact kmicb.engagecomms@nhs.net
We have written web content to support messages around pressures. You can either share this page or use some or all of the wording for your own websites:
Video explaining the way general practice has changed.
Latest Kent and Medway appointment data is published each month on our website homepage, which links to a news story. We also share this data on our social media channels for you to share.
NHS England has put together a toolkit with materials to help you promote the patient survey to your patients.
It is important that your patients understand the purpose of the patient survey and that everyone's voices are heard. Higher return rates mean that more voices and perspectives are being captured and that the responses are as balanced and accurate as possible.
The GP Patient Survey is an independent survey run by Ipsos on behalf of NHS England. The survey is sent out to over two million people across England annually. Last year, more than 720,000 people gave feedback on around 6,500 GP practices across England.
A random selection of patients (around 2.5million) will be invited to take part in the survey in January 2024.
Here are some materials to help you promote the patient survey to your patients so that your responses are as accurate as possible. You can share these as they are or adapt them to suit your practice style.
One of the best ways to tell a positive story – and certainly the best way to explain to the public – is to have a case study, from a patient’s perspective, which highlights the benefits, changes and impacts a service has on the people it is designed to help.
Once you've drafted something this can be used on websites,on social media channels or to send to the media. If you would like the comms team to review anything please send across to kmicb.comms@nhs.net and we can review the content, give guidance on how to distribute as well as share on our channels if appropriate.
When developing any written content, it is helpful to start with the five Ws to make sure you have covered the basics. Try to answer the five Ws in the first paragraph or two:
Who What, Why, Where, When (and also how if appropriate)
Top tips for written content
- don’t talk about your team, or your service – it doesn’t matter to the reader. Always tell the story from their perspective, appeal to what they will care about, make sure you do the ‘what’s in it for me’ test
- talk about what has happened and what you have done, as well as what is planned next
- don’t talk about strategies, but what they are trying to achieve
- put a person at the centre, if that can’t be someone affected then it could be someone running the service or involved in the development of it – make it human
- remember you will need permission to run anyone’s story -get agreement, and contact details.
You will also need a picture, again make sure you get written permission to use the image to promote the story. You can use this permission form for photographs if you don't have one, make sure you file it and are able to match it to the photograph for GDPR and in case the user requests its removal in the future.
Campaign and communication materials
(Click on the image or text to find all materials related to that campaign)
The 'Think pharmacy first' campaign will increase public awareness that pharmacists can provide some prescription medicines if needed, without seeing a GP.
The following conditions are included in Pharmacy First
| Clinical pathway | Age range |
| Uncomplicated urinary tract infections | women 16 -64 |
| Shingles | 18 years and over |
| Impetigo | 1 year and over |
| Infected insect bites | 1 year and over |
| Sinusitis | 12 years and over |
| Sore throat | 5 years and over |
| Acute otitis media | 1 to 17 years |
Read the FAQs for healthcare professionals
Social media images
Download copy for social media posts.
Posters
Video assets have been created to help spread the word and help encourage people adopt a positive outlook when it comes to healthy lifestyles like being active and eating healthily.
Please consider using them on video screens in waiting rooms.
Having excess weight can have a significant impact on health and wellbeing of people. Obesity is associated with many diseases such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, liver disease, osteoarthritis, some form of cancers, mental health problems, reduction in quality of life and life expectancy.
By scanning the QR code on these animations, people will be able to access healthy, budget friendly recipes, information on One You Kent and other healthy weight support. They will also be able to get information on how to be more active and support on how to do this.
There are seven videos (all 30 seconds long) to download below. They are not suitable for use in Medway as they are produced by Kent County Council.
This toolkit has been produced to help you publicise NHS Kent and Medway Talking Therapies. It includes copy for newsletters/websites and social media posts.
Assets for use on social media
People in Kent and Medway are being asked to check their prescription medication and only order what they need to help reduce waste and save money.
Around 12million repeat prescriptions are issued in Kent and Medway every year. It is estimated that more than 2million repeat prescription items are wasted.
NHS Kent and Medway has information for patients about how they can play their part in helping to reduce medicines waste. Find further information at stopthinkchoose.co.uk/pharmacy
Download resources from our communications toolkit to share on your channels.
We know that patient expectations and surging demand can mean our colleagues have to deal with some difficult conversations.
Here is some wording you may wish to use or edit for your own websites:
The overwhelming majority of our patients are respectful of the years of training and the skills healthcare professionals have developed so they can care for others.
People understand the caring and compassionate nature that makes someone want to work for the NHS; whether they are clinicians or in support roles.
We understand the frustration when you may have to wait a little longer at a clinic appointment, urgent treatment centre or emergency department, or when you may not be able to get through to a GP practice on the phone.
However, what we cannot accept is abuse – verbal or physical – towards us. We are here to help, not be abused.
NHS staff across Kent and Medway are reporting more and more incidents of the abuse they face when they go into work.
We ask the small minority of people engaging in this behaviour to stop and think of the impact it can have on individuals, on their families and on the NHS, and to stop it.
Our #notinadayswork campaign reminds people that abuse of NHS staff never has been and never will be acceptable.
You can also share on Not in a day's work video on your website or on your social media channels.
These materials can be used on your websites or on your social media channels:
Social media graphics:
Can you help promote local public health services including health visiting, school health, One You Kent lifestyle services, sexual health, and immunisations? Please download and share the below resources on surgery screens and channels. Contact beverley.hunt6@nhs.net, Public Health Campaigns Manager at Kent Community Health NHS Foundation Trust for any requests for printed or digital materials.
The Be Skin Smart campaign is part of Kent and Medway's Cancer Alliance’s work to increase earlier diagnosis and treat cancer sooner.
Now in its third year, this year’s launch coincides with skin cancer awareness month but will run all summer until 31 August. The Cancer Alliance team, is inviting practices to join this year’s campaign by displaying the printed materials, letting patient participation groups (PPGs) know and by sharing posts on social media when seen.
Packs of posters, postcards and z-cards for NHS Kent and Medway Cancer Alliance’s Be Skin Smart campaign were sent to all GP practices in May 2024. Packs included two posters, 10 postcards and 10 z-cards. An order form will be included if more supplies are needed.
Any questions, please contact: england.kmcanceralliance@nhs.net.
As you are aware, the Medicines Optimisation Scheme includes a QIPP element for reducing prescriptions for over-the-counter medication in line with national guidance.
To support practices and pharmacies, the Medicines Optimisation Team have put together a selection of patient information posters to promote the use of self-care.
These posters will be sent to all practices and pharmacies. Digital images for information screens available below.
The campaign is designed to encourage patients to speak with their local pharmacist before contacting their GP surgery, promoting the theme of “if you take care of the little things, your NHS can keep taking care of you”.
There is also a range of informative fact sheets available on the Self Care Forum website that may assist you further. These fact sheets cover many minor ailments such as the common cold in adults, fever in children, sore throat and backpain, as well as many others.
Images for displaying in waiting rooms on screens:
For aches and pains, can you buy what you need?
For hay fever and allergies, can you buy what you need?
Prescribing of over-the-counter medicines is changing
Poster artwork for printing:
For aches and pains, can you buy what you need?
Can you help us start a conversation about the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer?
NHS Kent and Medway Cancer Alliance has launched its 'Let's Talk About Ovarian Cancer' campaign to encourage women to know the signs of ovarian cancer and contact their GP if they are concerned; this is part of a new drive to increase earlier diagnosis of the disease.
Get involved by sharing the campaign resources on your website and social media channels:
Facebook and Twitter images
Instagram images
Download images to display on waiting room screens here:
Explore Kent is a partnership led by Kent County Council and brings together the public, private, and voluntary sectors to encourage residents to embrace the benefits of walking and other activities. There are a selection of walks that are perfect for all ages and abilities.
Please share the below resources on surgey screens and channels to promote the campaign:
Explore Kent's trails - video
Easy access trails - video
Linear walks - video
Walking trails - video
Easy access - GP screen
Walking - GP screen
Wellbeing - GP screen
Wellbeing - poster