The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 271 No 7258 p99
19 July 2003

Society summary

New guide to help branch public relations officers

A new guide published this week by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society aims to help its branch public relations officers (BPROs) to communicate more effectively with their local news media. The 12-page guide, "Hitting the headlines", has been produced by the Society's public relations unit with input from experienced BPROs.

The guide gives advice on how BPROs can establish themselves as expert media contacts and explains the different ways of approaching the media with news. It includes brief guidance on taking news photographs and on being interviewed for local radio or television. It also gives ideas for generating news locally through media health campaigns.

The guide sets out some of the main messages that the Society wishes to get across to the media, and includes pharmacy facts and figures that can be used as background information or quoted in interview.

The Society's head of public relations and membership, Jean-Pierre Moser, said: "The priority for all BPROs is to establish themselves as a source of expert information and opinion with local media contacts. Hitting the headlines offers advice on how to do this and also gives guidance on how to get news across in a proactive way."

The guide was being sent this week to all BPROs and regional communications officers and to branch and regional secretaries. Further information is available from the Society's press office (tel 020 7572 2335 or 2336).