The Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust is supported by its charity, CW+. It is one of the safest and highest performing NHS Trusts in the country. Like most NHS bodies, its charity operates separate communications, though the two organisations seek to work together.
Initially I supported the CEO of CW+ and his three senior communications staff across the trust and charity, as needed, to develop their joint communications approach. This draws on my experience at Great Ormond Street, working with two teams – NHS Trust and charity – and leading their successful merger.
However, they soon needed an interim NHS Head of Comms, to run an overstretched team and a very dramatic two years ensued. I was at in front-line communications during the first two years of the pandemic, both trying to communicate with the public and our patients, and with our staff. It was an extraordinary and sobering experience. Information changed day by day, staff were deployed to front line roles they would not have chosen, and we needed high compliance with safety protocols. More pleasant perhaps was encouraging internal staff vaccination. Senior management like me were constantly on site, sleeves rolled up, and believe me, staff were not partying. It showed a lot of the best of humanity and occasionally the worst.
