PSP016: Communications

Communication is part of everyone’s job. Excellent communication is essential in continuing the advancement of the Research Delivery Network (RDN) and the overall NIHR. It helps to support positive change in clinical research delivery by increasing shared learning, creativity and innovation among individuals and organisations. Having a dedicated, specialist, experienced communications function helps to develop and maintain the Regional Research Delivery Networks' (RRDNs) positive reputation and the reputation of the RDN as a whole. 

This POF Support Page provides additional advice and information to enable RRDNs to fulfil their contractual obligations relating to the communications function requirements, as specified within the NIHR RDN Performance and Operating Framework (POF). Once the Management of Change processes and Service Design phase 2 are complete RDN Communications will operate as one team. Therefore, this POF covers the six month interim period.

The previous CRN Communications strategy 2015 – 2020 set the ‘direction of travel’  for all internal and external CRN communications  during the previous contract while providing enough flexibility for LCRNs to develop their own programme of communications activities to complement local business objectives. The principles of this strategy should be carried forward until 31 March 2025.

Along with the previous CRN Communications strategy and previous NIHR Communications strategy 2017-2022, there is a NIHR-wide Communications and Engagement plan that covers the period of 2022-2025. It aims to build upon the significant progress already made during the NIHR’s first 20 years and to continue communications that will deliver a ‘step change’ in levels of awareness for the NIHR. 

There is recognition that storytelling and showcasing impact transforms the way the NIHR is perceived and understood. Our collective efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the power of effective communications in raising awareness of research and the reputation of the NIHR. This approach will guide our efforts and ensure that we continue to focus on the areas where the greatest benefits can be gained.

To support this way of working the 'NIHR RDN Communications and Public Engagement Toolkit' provides detailed guidance and support for communications colleagues at a regional level:

• The NIHR RDN Communications and Public Engagement Toolkit (Google site) provides a number of tools including: branding, national campaign information and policy and protocols. This is a living toolkit and will be continually updates;

• The NIHR Communications Strategy is available on the Toolkit site;

• Further resources are also available on the NIHR communications site and the RDN microsite. 

Section C.17 of the POF, ‘Communications’, describes a number of standard requirements that relate to communications. These requirements represent the foundations that will underpin good communications service and practice across the RDN. 

For 2024/25, the POF has only three ‘Standard Requirements’ for communications. This is based on the assumption that each RRDN has a specialist, experienced, dedicated communications function with adequate resources to deliver on communications and engagement. We advise that communications professionals are made aware of the budget that they have to work with. If you have any questions about the function and adequate resourcing for this, please raise this with the Head of RDN Communications. While the POF does not specify minimum spend to support delivery of regional activities, the RRDN's role as part of a RDN Communications team will be key to ensure delivery of RDN business objectives. Service Design phase 2 will identify ways of working across the RDN team.

In line with the NHS Constitution for England and NHS Long Term Plan,  RRDNs are to promote research opportunities to patients and the public. This should include informing patients about research that is being supported by the RDN. Specifics regarding what this entails are being developed as part of Service Design phase 2. The RRDN should ensure that patients and the public from all different communities are represented, with an aim to reach those who are in the greatest need. These include people who live in geographically under-served areas or belong to groups that require particular efforts to communicate and engage with them.

RRDN Communication leads should liaise with colleagues in the RRDN and identify barriers to research and recruitment to each group and where communications has a role in providing a solution.

The RRDNs should promote Join Dementia Research (JDR) and Be Part of Research, including the volunteer account functionality , in a way that is tailored to the regional population. Working closely with public engagement or other colleagues, the promotion of these services should be integrated into regional communications. Any local registries should not be promoted to the detriment of the RDN wide services and any such plans should be discussed within the RDN Communications team.  

While there is no requirement for a RRDN communications plan, RRDNs should clarify communications goals and objectives with regards to regional requests. This will give you a baseline or benchmark to measure success. This is vital for demonstrating impact and value for money.

• Getting the right messages to the right audience is important. The RDN has numerous stakeholders and not all the messages we send out are relevant to all of our audiences. Comparing the patient and public audience to the life-sciences industry is a good example, since they both have very different information needs. Where possible (and appropriate) your communications should include evidence of targeting audiences and messaging;

• Until the full RDN press working group protocol is finalised, the RRDNs are required to notify, in a timely manner but not less that seven days before the release, the RDNCC Communications Team of planned local press activity, large events and any local campaigns that may generate media interest. If appropriate, the RDNCC will share with the NIHR press office and grid it. This may then be cascaded to the DHSC press office for information;

• The RRDNs are required to immediately notify the Head of RDN Communications (07879114041), or the central communications team: inbox; (rdncc.comms@nihr.ac.uk), of any issue that may cause a reputational risk to the NIHR or RDN;

• If a RRDN would like to request a DHSC representative to speak at their event, all correspondence must be manages through the RDNCC Communications team. In the first instance email the team inbox (rdncc.comms@nihr.ac.uk) with the request and draft letter to be sent to the DHSC. Correspondence should not be sent directly to DHSC. Please ensure you allow sufficient time for engagement, ideally four to five months before the event.

While regional communications should be tailored to the RRDN, you should consider how the following key communications activities can support the delivery of your regional objectives:

• RRDN support and delivery of national RDN and NIHR campaigns;

• Development of staff and patient stories ('Our stories') in conjunction across the RDN to avoid duplication. RRDNs are required to contribute at least one patient story to the 'My research story' section of the Be Part of Research website (one per year, per RRDN), with the remainder published on the RDN website and promoted via RDN social media channels. We also encourage RRDN Comms staff to 'sell in' these stories where possible to local media (Requirement 2, Section C.17);

• Development of at least three new items published on the RDN website related to their region. Further guidance will be issued by the RDN press working group. Any news items including patients should include a diverse range of people and a diverse range of conditions. (These stories will be used in the Be Part of Research newsletter, further guidance will be issued on Google currents);

• Proactive media relations activities, ideally a minimum of two per year (e.g. thought leadership). This should be in addition to national campaigns support (Requirement 3, Section C.17);

• Development and delivery of at least one RDN 'Ask the expert' webinar that will be promoted across the RDN.

A campaign plan and project plan template is available with suggest headings to help plan individual projects and campaigns that are linked to your business objectives.

The Research Delivery Network is a national organisation and part of the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). It is important that we work together to tell a consistent story of why England/the UK is the best place in the world to deliver research. It’s also important that as communications professionals, we come together and share ideas and best practice. To that end, the RDN Communications Team holds regular meetings which provide an opportunity for all RDN communications colleagues to network with each other, discuss issues and share successes.

To enable RRDN communications successes you should:

• Develop strong working relationships with public engagement and Join Dementia Research leads (as applicable) in your RRDN;

• Liaise with regional NIHR infrastructure to support the delivery of local, regional and national campaigns or activities and to enhance the reputation of the NIHR as a whole in your region (Requirement 2, Section C.17);

• Engage with the RDNcomms 'Googlespaces' community;

• Regularly attend monthly RDN Communication virtual meetings and face-to-face meetings (Requirement 3, Section C.17);

• Adhere to processes for notifying the RDNCC of proactive and reactive media activity (in the interim) and other channel protocol (such as YouTube video publishing).

Our national campaigns provide an opportunity for us to deliver targeted and focused messaging to support key organisations’ aims and objectives. By delivering these at both a national and regional level, we increase our chances of ‘cutting through noise’ and reaching key audiences.

Our national campaigns may vary from year to year according to organisational needs and priorities. Some may be RDN-specific, others may be pan-NIHR. Your RRDN contribution is crucial in amplifying the reach and the success of these campaigns.

To support the delivery of national RDN and NIHR campaigns and initiatives, each RRDN will be expected to support campaigns at a regional level.

The RDN communications team will work together and agree on campaign contributions and support as part of the campaign planning for each NIHR or RDN campaign. RRDN campaign support will include but is not limited to:

• Local delivery and support of International Clinical Trials Day/ Be Part of Research (both the service and campaign), Join Dementia Research (including Dementia Action Week and World Alzheimer’s month), the Be Part of Research registry launch. This involves developing and contributing bespoke content, leading engagement activity and local sites (NHS and primary care), and managing region all media relations activities (Requirement 1, Section C.17.1.1)

• Support of national campaigns means as a minimum meeting the requirements outlined in the relevant campaign briefing issued by the RDN communications team to RRDNs.  This may include:

  • a press release (where asked);

  • social media activity on RDN channels to showcase regional engagement; 

  • staff and patient stories  (Section C.17.1.1);

• Pan-NIHR campaigns should be delivered by liaising and ideally  working in  partnership with NIHR infrastructure Communications Leads in your region as appropriate. 

The campaign plans for national RDN and NIHR campaigns are available on the Toolkit site (RDN campaigns). 

Each RRDN has been provided with a regional web presence within the new RDN website. Note that no other RRDN websites are permitted (due to a government directive to reduce proliferation of government-funded websites).

• Any Google Sites that replicate content from the main RDN website will be requested to close down.

• If a need is identified for a new Google Site for a specific audience, you must liaise with the RDNCC team via the Comms inbox in advance of development to identify if alternative options are available on the RDN website.

Your website is your shop window to the world and should be regularly updated with news, events, jobs and relevant content in line with guidance from the RDN website group and is meeting business needs.

Trained editors for the regional sections of the RDN website

Comms staff for each RRDN will be trained, and share responsibility for maintaing content on the RDN website. They must ensure that content is kept up to date and delivers the same standards of the corporate NIHR website. Training can be requested from the RDN website group.

There are many different components of the Drupal CMS that will enable more flexible and creative content to be designed. Drupal training will be provided in due course to RRDNs. Supporting Drupal CMS guidance is also being developed by the NIHR corporate website team. Training and the guidance will help you navigate the range of available options.

Content on the RDN website must follow the NIHR style guide, including tone of voice, images and layout options. Compliance with the accessibility legislation, GDPR and information governance is essential and RRDNs are expected to keep up to date with guidelines and mange content accordingly. Where accessibility issues (or any other issues around website policies) are identified, content must either be removed or updated to comply in a timely fashion. RDN website group content guidance should be followed to ensure your content is fit for purpose before it is sent for review by the website group. The RDN website group is able to offer guidance and best practice advice to the RDN comms team.

Any published regional content should be regularly reviewed - at least every 6 months - to ensure it is accurate and up to date.

The RDN website group will run annual reviews requiring confirmation that existing content has been reviewed for compliance with accessibility guidelines (and will also require confirmation that content has been audited). The RDN website group may also run both ad hoc and regular scans for website accessibility and other technical/content/website policy aspects - any issues flagged must be promptly dealt with, especially where accessibility legislation or information governance is applicable.

This aspect of the POF (Section C.17.1.3) is assessed through evidence (an issue log) as well as annual review by the RDN website group. Queries will be raised with individual RRDNs as necessary.

As part of the NIHR we are required to adhere to the NIHR Identity Guidelines, as well as Be Part of Research and Join Dementia Research, which have their own specific guidelines.

• Ensuring that both our messaging and visual branding are clearly and consistently applied across all communication channels, including social media, further reinforces our identity and drives positive sentiment and trust. 

This aspect of the POF (Section C.17.1.2) is assessed through evidence (an issue log). 

The NIHR identity guidelines and templates are accessible via the RDN Toolkit site. Further guidance is available on the NIHR communications site. The RDN brand is aligned with these guidelines. Details of when to use wither the NIHR or RDN brand can be found in the RDN brand and channel guidance. RDN branded templates can found on the RDN toolkit.

The RDN nomenclature summarises the RDN for external stakeholders and details how we describe our component part externally whilst still present a single organisation. The NIHR communications site hosts key guidance and protocols that apply across NIHR communications channels, including web, press, social media, content, accessibility etc. RRDNs are expected to be familiar with these and adhere to relevant protocols.

The requirements set out in the POF guidance should be seen as the foundations for further work. We know from discussions with our RRDN communications colleagues that a great deal of innovative and interesting communications activities are taking place at a regional level. Here are some additional requirements:

In communications with local researchers and RRDN Delivery organisations in receipt of funds or support from the NIHR, promote the acknowledgement of NIHR support in publications and press releases (Section C.17.1.3); 

Strong external and internal stakeholder relationships, including effective working with other parts of the NIHR at a local, regional and national level. This may include membership of  a collaborative group spanning member trust and other stakeholder organisations such as ARCs. Biomedical Research Centres (BRCs), Research Design Services (RDSs) etc. Alternatively, it might be leading regional meetings of RDN staff that have a responsibility for comms (non-comms professionals) to provide guidance and support.

Chelsea Drake

Head of RDN Communications 

Email: chelsea.drake@nihr.ac.uk

Tel: 07879114041

• The NIHR RDN Communications and Public Engagement Toolkit (Google site)

• The NIHR Communications site

ARC:   Applied Research Collaborations

BRC:   Biomedical Research Centre

CRN:   Clinical Research Network (now Research Delivery Network RDN)

Crupal CMS:   Crupal (Company name) providing Contract Management Software

DHSC:   Department of Health and Social Care

GDPR:   General Data Protection Regulation

LCRN:   Local Clinical Research Network (now RRDN)

NIHR:   National Institute of Health Research

POF:   Performance & Operating Framework 

RDS:   Research Delivery Service

RDN:   Research Delivery Network

RRDN:   Regional Research Delivery Network

Version number: 2.0

Effective from date: 15 November 2024