Electric Huddle Board Project

In 2021 two Business Relationship Managers (BRM’s) joined EEAST to offer colleagues a dedicated link into IM&T. 

The role of a BRM is to help IT users reach the right experts quickly, to help implement the Trusts digital strategy, and to support colleagues develop business cases for new initiatives involving digital technology.

One example of a common request the BRM’s received has been to help find a solution to the challenge operational teams face when they need to rapidly share local information with colleagues working a variety of shift patterns in either an AOC or on the road. After taking on this task the BRMs were able to work with each team to identify and successfully trial a couple of solutions.

Rather than use a ‘once size fits all’, slightly different solutions, each of which works best for the different settings these teams work in, were used. The BRMs were able to work in partnership with each team to identify equipment and software the Trust had already invested in rather than purchase something new. This meant improvements could be made quickly and cost effectively using tried and tested technology; - Wall boards for AOC staff and iPads for crews on the road. 

Both trials have generated positive feedback, and Luke and Sandra share their thoughts below.

Luke Roberts-Andreou – Leading Operations Manager, West Herts -

'Like most other areas within EEAST when huddle messages were introduced across the trust, staff at Berkhamsted and Hemel satellite stations raised the issue that they didn’t have access to the daily information updates that staff working out of West Herts hub station did. We considered ideas and tried using video calls or getting the LOM to head straight out to satellite stations to catchup with the crews, however ultimately this rarely worked due to crews or LOM getting pitched straight out on jobs once signed on. 

Working alongside Ian Daborn (Business relationship manager), we were able to set up digital e-Huddle screens at all stations that displayed a daily slideshow of important local and trust updates. After running this as a 3-month trial the feedback was overwhelmingly positive although the main points around potential improvement focussed on crews not being able to access it remotely whilst out on shift.  

When the individual IPADs were issued to local staff, we were able to take this feedback onboard and introduce a link for all local staff to be able to access the e-Huddle board on their IPADs at any point in their shift. All EEAST staff within Mid Herts are now able to access key information that is important to them whilst out on the road, including what LOM and specialist resources are available on the day, links to recent clinical updates and any changes to processes on the road and at local hospitals. '

 

Sandra Treacher – Head of AOC -

‘As a department we find ourselves regularly contacting other members of staff, sending news blasts and urgent communications and we were becoming concerned that the number of emails we were sending was becoming unmanageable. Therefore, IM&T approached us to see if we would be interested in trialling a Huddle Board within our AOCs. The hope was that it would include all the key points and news blasts we send in our weekly newsletter for staff to view whilst in the main control room. This was introduced into our Bedford room as the initial site in September, with a PowerPoint run and managed from MS Teams. So far, we have seen good staff benefit, with increased engagement and awareness of what is going on throughout the regional control rooms. We’ve managed to include not just news but thank you, patient feedback and urgent communications – centralising how we communicate!

The trial has worked successfully, and the Bedford team are currently completing a survey, following which, the Huddle boards will be rolled out into our Chelmsford and Norwich AOCs.’

Published 20th January 2022