My presentation on lessons learnt from founding and helping to run #nhssm chats at the Inside Gov's day on the public sector online. It covers: Conversations online, how do they differ from real life? Engagement online is a sliding scale Patients helping the NHS via social media Formal and informal NHS staff online conversations Engagement online: Starting it Sustaining it Getting the best from it.

1. @nhssm
Weds, 8-9pm

2.  An NHS context
 Conversations online vs IRL
A sliding scale of online engagement
 Patients helping the NHS
 Social media and staff
A few things learnt from #nhssm

3.  The NHS is paternalistic
 Traditional communications rule
 Management cuts running at 50% in
London
 Urgent need to publically talk about service
reform

5.  Little or no context
 No tone, body language or intonation
 Difficult to use humour
 Permanent
 Alcohol affects both!

6. Conversations that
Broadcast Reactive Proactive inform service design
• PRs • Signposting • Targeting
Individuals
• Links • Campaigns
• Blogging
• NHS •Monitoring
Choices • Asking for
• Responding views on
to blog posts services
Resources

7.  Reversal of the patient doctor relationship
 Counter NHS culture
 @PatientOpinion
 Advocacy,e.g. @RoyalMarsden and
Alzheimer’s Society blogs
 Threats and opportunities...

8.  Social
media can be formal, it can be
corporate (see broadcast)
 DH web chats with ministers of state
 Facebook
 Massaging egos

9.  Starting it...
• Be topical
• Take advantage of experience
• Do your research
• Don’t reinvent the wheel

10.  Sustaining it... the three C’s
• Capacity
• Content, it’s king
• Community

11.  Getting the best from them...
• Listen
• Embrace feedback
• Take a break
• Know when to stop