South East EU Exit Support Programme • South, Central and West CSU

"The SCW team has provided fantastic support over the last few months – and that’s why we have asked them to support the next phase of the programme too. They integrated themselves really quickly into our existing teams and structures, they were incredibly flexible, and they managed even the most testing situations calmly and professionally – which was essential in such an ambiguous, time-pressured, and politically sensitive environment. SCW have become a trusted partner for us and we look forward to the next phase of the programme and our continuing relationship."Andy Wapling, Regional Head of Emergency Preparedness, Resilience and Response, NHSE/I (South West and South East)

Challenge

In the run-up to the originally planned withdrawal date from the EU (29 March 2019), NHS England and NHS Improvement (NHSE-I) commissioned SCW to coordinate EU Exit communication, preparation and response for the South East region. Our objective was to support providers and commissioners to ensure continuity of NHS services for local populations, connecting local organisations to national planning guidance and infrastructure for EU Exit, whilst monitoring and reporting local conditions impacted. We also worked closely with the regional Emergency, Preparedness, Resilience and Response (EPRR) teams to identify potential mitigations to emerging issues across the system and undertaking regional assurance and reporting for NHSE/I.
Approach

We deployed a cross-functional team partnering with regional EPRR leads to produce a coordinated approach, delivering:
•Regional coordination centre providing EU Exit support and guidance, responsible for all reporting requirements
•Stakeholder engagement across the local system
•Communications that clearly defined cascade protocols to organisations from the National team
•Project focus through reprioritising as necessary due to a highly ambiguous environment.
Impact
Delivery of every assurance exercise on time
Successful stakeholder mapping across the South East and established strong working relationships with organisations, EPRR colleagues and other teams.
Maintained a high level of preparedness through temperature check and assurance
Dissemination of key information and guidance through our robust cascade and communication channels
Continuous improvement through internal evaluation and key review points