An Access to Healthcare project typically starts off as an idea addressing an issue related to intimate healthcare conditions. Whether you as an end user, healthcare practitioner or organization come up with the idea, it could potentially lay the foundation of a new Access to Healthcare project.

After having established an initial dialogue with the local Coloplast subsidiary, the Access to Healthcare office can help you develop your ideas through sparring and further dialogue. This stage of the project development process involves asking questions like:

• What concrete problem or issue does your idea address?
• How could Coloplast's local subsidiary be of assistance?
• Which external partners would you like to involve and how?
• What would it take to get the project ready, for how long would it run, and what, approximately, would it cost?

Access to Healthcare is a partnership programme, meaning that it supports projects where Coloplast engages with external partners to improve conditions for people with intimate healthcare needs. These may be healthcare practitioner organizations, local authorities, government representatives, end-user associations, hospitals and more.

Because Access to Healthcare seeks to build relationships and knowledge-sharing with partners, partners should be involved early on in the project development process and have clearly defined roles and interests in the project. You will need to consider questions such as:

• How are your suggested partners right for your project?
• What relationships and knowledge do they bring to the table, and how will they benefit from working with Coloplast, etc.?
• Have you spoken to your potential partners and if so, do they share project aims and their proposed role?

The application form is where you finally compile all of your conceptual work into a detailed overview of the project. This is the formal document which an Access to Healthcare Steering Group will use to evaluate the project.

Just as important, the application form should be a helpful tool and reference point to successfully launch and manage the project. The form will ask for information regarding:

• Objectives: what are the project’s specific, desired outcomes?
• Deliverables: what are the key project milestones and their schedule for delivery?
• Partners: who are they and what are their and Coloplast’s roles?
• Social relevance: what specific impact will the project have for end-users in their community?

When the project is launched, you need a clear plan for its execution. The milestones you have submitted in the application form will serve to drive the project forward.

There should be a designated person who is responsible for the project’s day-to-day management, and who can ensure regular follow-up. One of the challenges in executing the project successfully will be to ensure that the knowledge that comes from the project is, whenever possible, measured, captured and shared with all project stakeholders.

Depending on the project’s setup, you will have one or more milestones to report on and deliver. You will report on progress toward milestones using a simple format that includes concrete qualitative and quantitative measures.

If milestones are missed or delayed, you and your partners may need to consider changes to the project. If they are reached, you and the Access to Healthcare office will work together to ensure they are communicated, shared, celebrated and used to further knowledge that could be useful in other projects or Coloplast business areas.