The below sets out copy to be disseminated from the following organisations:

• Local Authorities
• Primary Care
• VCFSE Sector
• Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
• Birmingham Children's Trust

To be disseminated until end of 2nd Conversation:

Subject: Our Open Conversation ends soon – have your say!

Thank you to everyone who has so far contributed to our second Open Conversation.

Are the pledges strong or wrong? Sign up to the Conversation and tell us! Vote, comment or suggest a new idea. Do staff or volunteers need protected time for training? Is a system-wide Freedom to Speak Up Guardian network a good pledge?

We have been listening to everything you have shared and one thing that is clear is that you want more time to contribute to our draft pledges that will make working and volunteering in health and Care in Birmingham and Solihull the best it can be. So, we have decided to extend Our Open Conversation  to give more people a further opportunity to join in.

Here’s a reminder of how to join in:

• Visit openconversations.clevertogether.com and click the “Sign up” button.
• Once you’re logged in, you can read the draft pledges, vote, and submit comments.
• Tell us what you think of the pledges in as much or as little time as you like or are able to give. The aim is for the Conversation to be interactive and dynamic – you can read, vote and comment on each other's ideas.
• The Clever Together Conversation is anonymous and open 24/7 until 23:59hrs on 9 May.

Thanks so much for getting involved in this exciting opportunity. Let’s build the best place to work together.

P.S. If you have any questions or problems signing up to participate, please get in touch with our independent partner Clever Together by emailing  [email protected]

We are determined to make working in health and care in Birmingham and Solihull the best place it can be. We can only do this by having a two-way conversation so that we can make genuinely transformative change.

Our Open Conversations are open to everyone who works or volunteers in health and care in the NHS, Local Authorities and the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector across Birmingham and Solihull.

What has happened so far?

In the first Conversation at the end of 2023, over 1,600 staff and volunteers working across health and care in Birmingham and Solihull logged onto the online Conversation platform and anonymously discussed our culture together.

All contributions have now been analysed – once you’ve logged in, you can read the report on the Conversation platform.

What are the objectives of the second Conversation?

Using the insights from the report, we have drafted a set of pledges that address the key concerns and priorities of our people. In the second Conversation (23 April – 7 May 2024) everyone can see and discuss the pledges before they are finalised. This Conversation will directly impact the final pledges and shape the future of our health and care system.

Why does this matter?

The final pledges will represent a collective commitment to each other to help make every part of health and care in Birmingham and Solihull the best place to work. Your participation in this Conversation is essential to ensure we are making the right changes and are committed to the right goals.

The Conversation is:

•    Anonymous – your name is not attached to anything you share
•    For all staff and volunteers - working in health and care across Birmingham and Solihull
•    Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week while the Conversation is live
•    Accessible on any device
•    Analysed independently

How do I get involved? 

Before and during the Conversation, you can visit  openconversations.clevertogether.com and click the “Sign up” button.

Thanks so much for getting involved in this exciting opportunity. Let’s build the best place to work together.