Communications and Engagement Strategy
This strategy for 2021-24 sets out our approach to communications and engagement with our stakeholders, enabling us to build trust in our regulatory approach and to support the General Osteopathic Council to deliver on its overarching goals, as set out in our Strategic Plan.
As the statutory healthcare regulator for the practice of osteopathy in the UK, our approach to communication and engagement is critical to the successful delivery of the GOsC Strategic Plan 2019-24.
Through the strategy, we aim to rebalance our approach to communications and engagement with an increased focus on listening and engaging, recognising the diversity of osteopaths across the profession, as well as continuing to communicate key information to osteopaths, patients and others.
We will achieve this through effective and innovative use of two-way channels of communication; and information that is clear, timely and relevant; strengthening the position of the GOsC as a credible, robust regulator.
This new approach will help us to promote patient safety, and support osteopaths to deliver high quality care.
The vision and purpose of the Communications and Engagement Strategy 2021-2024 are set out below alongside three specific aims through which the vision will be achieved.
Our vision
We will promote patient safety, and support osteopaths to deliver high quality care through a responsive, inclusive, contemporary, creative and agile approach to communication and engagement.
Our purpose
This strategy supports and provides direction for the efficient and effective delivery of our overarching strategic goals and business plans by informing the engagement activities that we undertake now and in the future.
Our aims
Aim 1: Promote trust:
Continue to improve our relationships and engagement with our stakeholders so we can increase levels of trust in us as a regulator and increase understanding of our role.
Aim 2: Be timely and responsive:
Take a timely approach and be responsive both to stakeholder needs and to changing situations and requirements, based firmly on insight and effective planning.
Aim 3: Be a forward looking regulator:
Ensure that our communication channels and products are relevant, contemporary, forward looking and that we utilise creative and innovative approaches where helpful and required.
Our principles
We have developed a set of core communication and engagement principles which underpin our work and which help us use this strategy as a decision making tool for all current and future activities. The core principles are:
- Open, inclusive and coherent: we will be open and transparent, inclusive and personal; creating a unified approach across our channels; and reflecting our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion including, but not limited to, recognising disability in our audiences.
- Reflective and insight-driven: we will seek feedback, actively engaging with – and listening to – our audiences to increase our understanding so that our approach is reflective, outward-looking and insight-driven.
- Targeted and purposeful: we will communicate and engage with a clarity of purpose and direction that is aligned to our overarching strategic aims and goals.
- Appropriate in tone: we will ensure our tone and approach is supportive, wherever appropriate, and encourages engagement.
- Proactive and timely: we will respond to arising communication needs in a timely way with a clear emphasis on building positive relationships with our stakeholders.
- Two-way: we will ensure we have a proportionate balance between what we say – ‘informing’ – and the insight we gain through engagement and research – our ‘listening’.
- Forward looking: we will ensure our approach, channels and products are contemporary, creative and forward looking, taking account of user feedback and wider societal context and trends.
- Cost effective, environmentally aware and evaluated: our communications and engagement activities will be planned, costed and will include measures of progress and success. We will also seek to minimise any negative environmental impact in what we do.
