Engaging with the local community and recruiting new members is a core requirement for all NHS foundation trusts1. To help streamline and simplify this vital task Capita Membership Services has launched an innovative membership management database platform.
The platform allows trusts to:
- generate a ‘heat map’, using Google Maps technology, to identify where members are located and pinpoint areas in their catchment that require further development. This is the first product of its type which allows trusts to see their members in a clear and user-friendly way.
- create and track member communications and events. This allows the user to monitor those members who have expressed an interest in attending or who have attended a membership event.
- track governors, using the governor dashboard tool. This allows trusts to access all key governor information at the touch of a button.
- ensure events are conveniently located for members, or held in locations that target under-represented areas through the mapping tool.
- monitor the effectiveness of their recruitment strategies by analysing both budgets and targets by using a unique membership targeting function.
“We want to help trusts make certain that their membership is as strong as possible by using our employees, skills and services to ensure that membership is revitalised, well managed and continues to grow”, says director of Capita Membership Services, Adrian Aggett.
Adrian continued, “An effective membership must be credible, engaged and representative of the population and Capita Membership Services can help trusts to manage all three of these key factors.”
One of the early adopters of the new system, Sarah Elphick, communications and membership manager at Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS foundation trust commented: “I love the new features that now exist on the Capita Membership Services platform such as the event management tool. I can now track which members are attending member events and then invite them to future events at the click of a button.
“The maps feature is really useful too. I can see where my potential members are, not only by catchment area, but right down to their ethnic group, age and socio-economic group. As a trust we've been struggling to ensure our membership is representative by socio-economic group – this new feature will really help us to target any under-represented groups.
“Capita Membership Services is really going to help me to run the membership scheme much more efficiently and will enable me to run off reports for the directors when requested.”
Capita Membership Services combines a wealth of experience from its own team, which has been working with NHS Foundation Trusts since their inception in 2004. Combined with input from its clients, which include almost half of all NHS Foundation Trusts in the UK, a product has been created which truly meets the membership needs of its clients.
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Note to editors
1. NHS Foundation Trusts have a duty to engage with their local communities and encourage local people to become members of the organisation. They must take steps to ensure their membership is representative of the communities they serve. They are required to set out detailed proposals for the minimum size and composition of their membership.
About Capita Membership Services: Capita Membership Services is the leading NHS membership provider and delivers membership database, recruitment, engagement and consultancy services for approximately 700,000 members and to over 80 NHS Trusts. The company and its highly experienced membership team have worked with NHS Foundation Trusts, starting with the very first Foundation Trusts authorised during Wave 1. Capita is also the first NHS membership services provider to supply Google™ mapping functionality to NHS Trusts as part of its new and innovative membership database platform. This easy to use platform also incorporates a unique membership mapping functionality using standard Google navigation and access to detailed socio-economic, demographic and trust-specific data.