UHB NHS Foundation Trust

Education is one of the biggest challenges facing the NHS. It underpins the drive to reduce the incidence of hospital acquired infections and efforts to encourage the general public to adopt a healthier lifestyle. University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust (UHB) is using Saturn’s technology to produce and distribute key health messages to around 5,000 desktop PC screens and 75 LCD screens throughout the Trust.

A review of internal communications revealed that email, posters and notice boards were not an effective means of communicating in such a busy hospital setting.

At UHB the communication channel is referred to internally as ‘Invision’. This platform allows messages to be delivered as a PC screensaver to every PC in the Trust and as multimedia content to 75 LCD screens throughout the campus. Invision enables UHB to improve and enhance its communications to all staff, patients and visitors quickly, easily and efficiently using a “real-time” push communications channel. It allows the Trust to rapidly update, authorise, schedule and target messages for different audiences, at different times and in specific locations, providing guaranteed message accuracy and consistency.

Invision also provides content for large LCD screens positioned in public areas, waiting rooms, clinics, cafes and out-patients areas. These screens are segmented and zoned, dependent on their location, and carry details of UHB news, clinics, restaurant menus, local transport, weather information and national news feeds. Similarly, the Invision staff PC screensaver features a sequence of screens covering UHB infection control tips, team briefing news, hospital news, health & safety alerts, staff training and workshop course bulletins.

“Trust notice boards can be full of stale content and awash with non relevant “unauthorised” material. By using digital signage we have a system that reflects the dynamic communication aspirations of University Hospitals Birmingham and can underpin communications in an emergency situation.”  Deputy Director of ICT, University Hospitals Birmingham.