My role as a member of the Dorset Innovation Hub (DIH) Core Team has taken me on a fascinating journey over the last 12 months. BCP Council is an original member of the DIH with our Director of Economic Development sitting on the Programme Group, but as we are part of the wider ICS rather than working solely within health and care we have been in a position to bring a fresh perspective. Part of my role has been about how we make the activities of the DIH relevant to the broader local authority audience and how the benefits of being a DIH member can reach throughout the organisation. DIH-led initiatives such as the Community of Practice have provided opportunities to showcase our involvement in the form of presentations and a case study, but reaching out beyond that already-engaged audience is the target for the coming months.
Looking at how I can achieve some “quick wins” was an important first step. I developed an intranet site for BCP Council colleagues and have used this to promote DIH events and signpost colleagues to training opportunities. But a dedicated intranet site still requires people to actively visit it! On that basis I’ve also integrated some of the training opportunities into our wider HR Hub online, to raise visibility through a channel that may already be visited frequently by staff.
Beyond this it’s important to share DIH communications with those managers who may find cascading the information useful to their teams. Innovation is already one of BCP Council’s core values and so, as a topic, sits well within environments such as our Director’s Strategy Group. I am developing a template to use as a “Lunch and Learn” within those situations – it will provide an informal opportunity to talk about the aims and objectives of the DIH, as well as what’s in it for specific teams.
Embedding innovation throughout an organisation is supported through culture. Local authorities aren’t always immediately seen as the place to foster innovation but within the organisation there is a lot of will to improve our processes and the available tools to work more effectively and efficiently. Innovation supports these attitudes and connecting the dots, with the DIH as the consistent thread, represents an important step in understanding how we can work to improve outcomes for residents across Dorset.
Rachel Doe
Project Manager BCP Council
