Digital health: guidance, support and best practice

About me

• I work in the digital communications team at the Department of Health

• Responsible for the way the Department uses the public web: websites, social media and digital engagement

• We publish information for health and social care professionals

• Deliver digital engagement opportunities and guidance, for communications with the media and public

Today

• A little bit about digital at Department of Health

• Some examples

• Your hopes and fears

• Starting out

• Useful resources

• Discussion

• Next steps

Digital at DH

The Department’s digital strategy focuses on:

• Doing the basics very well• Putting effort into the things that matter most• Removing the novelty from doing brilliant digital communications

We use digital tools and techniques to:

• Listen• Engage• Broadcast

Examples

Engagement: www.healthandcare.dh.gov.uk

Conversations: http://conversations.dh.gov.uk

Crowdsourcing: www.mapsandapps.dh.gov.uk

Webchats: www.webchat.dh.gov.uk

Your hopes and fears

Those words in more detail• Use (what channels and why)

– Listen to the social web– Go where your audience are

• Restrictions, process– DH social media policy in one place– Ask us, look for evidence of what’s happening elsewhere

• Profiles– Be credible, consistent, responsive, integrated– Civil Service guidelines:

http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/resources/participation-online

• Time– Use tools and channels that will help you, not hinder

Useful resources

DH digital resources: www.digitalhealth.dh.gov.uk

NHS social media community: www.nhssm.org.uk

Digital across Government: http://digital.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/

Discussion

Next steps