This week at South Metropolitan Health Service (SMHS) the Fremantle Hospital Emergency Department closure is a fast-approaching reality. The closure is a major change to health services in WA and coordinating the move to Fiona Stanley and notifying every possible person who might need to access Freo's Emergency Department (ED) has been a mammoth effort at all levels of the organisation. As I will be away for the actual closure (3 February), I thought I might talk a little bit about the communication, crisis and change management I've witnessed and facilitated leading up to this date.
The over-arching focus of SMHS Communications Department is to send the message that Fremantle Hospital's Emergency Department will close and Fiona Stanley's Emergency Department will open on Tuesday 3 February 2015 at 7.00am (if I had a dollar for every time I've read or written that sentence...!). Every action by the comms department is part of a communication strategy devised months ago by Executive Directors and Managers.
Some of my less enjoyable activities this week have involved compiling contact detail databases for schools, sporting clubs, GPs, shopping centres, Aboriginal Services, after-hour clinics etc. etc. to send out information via post or email regarding the ED closure. Part of SMHS crisis management is keeping records of all the databases compiled and the letters sent to them in case, in my supervisor's words, "if someone rocks up to Fremantle Hospital's closed ED and they die there will be an inquiry. We need to prove that we did notify them of the closure."
Change communication is happening on a major scale both internally and externally. Constant reminders are emailed to all staff and updates on the change are at the forefront of internal e-news. Feedback is rolling into the office about external communication efforts, lots of people are acknowledging the fact they have recieved letters or seen posters about the ED closure. There have also been a few strong-worded complaints about the closure itself, but as the PR Manager says, "At least they got the intended message!"
Meanwhile, all the usual communications activities continue including the SMHS internal e-newsletter which I wrote a couple of stories for this week about a Hearing Voices Group and a last call for nursing award nominations. I spend all day writing and editing documents (the amount of times things get edited, reviewed, approved, re-approved, printed and re-printed in government could drive someone insane!) which has been invaluable practice for me and I am really beginning to grasp the writing style here and gaining speed and confidence.
Until next time,
Kelsey
Bentley Internal
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