Healthy headlines: advice for would-be branch PROs
Turn on your television or radio, buy a newspaper, read a magazine and the likelihood is that a health story will feature strongly. Health scare; health breakthrough; health crisis. If there is one thing the public cannot seem to get enough of, it is news about health.
The Society’s public relations (PR) unit works to place pharmacy
in the news. During 2004, the Society has been featured in the national
media on a wide range of health issues including the POM-to-P switch
of statins, the safe use of antibiotics, adverse drug reactions and the
availability of drugs on the internet.
Whether creating news or reacting to media enquiries, the PR unit looks
to involve the Society’s network of branch public relations officers
(BPROs) and regional communications officers (RCOs) to give stories a
local pharmacy angle or reaction.
Kurt Ramsden: “it’s good to feel that I’m making
a difference and helping to inform public thinking” |
Michael Burden: “I see my main role as offering comment, support
and advice to BPROs in my area” |
Kurt Ramsden, a community pharmacist
from Redcar, North Yorkshire, who has been a BPRO for four years, says: “It’s
good to feel that I’m making a difference and helping to inform
public thinking. It certainly makes an interesting change from the day-to-day
business
of pharmacy.”
Mike Burden was a BPRO for more than 10 years and is now regional communications
officer for the Sherwood region. “I had a lot of fun as a BPRO,” says
Mike. “I now see my main role as offering comment, support and
advice to BPROs in my area. And I would advise any would-be BPRO to take
full advantage of the training and material on offer from the Society’s
PR unit — it’s absolutely first class.”
So, what makes a good BPRO? First, it is vital that BPROs establish a
strong network of media contacts in the local area. Journalists from
local newspapers, radio and television stations need experts whom they
can call to provide informed comment on health issues in order to give
their stories credibility. Journalists have columns to fill and air time
to occupy — and BPROs can make that job easier for them.
It is also important that BPROs create their own contact book of local
pharmacists who are prepared to speak to the media. This can be done
in conjunction with RCOs and ensures that expert comment from all areas
of pharmacy is available.
The Society provides ready-made press material for BPROs to use in their
local media. During 2004, the PR unit has generated stories focusing
on pharmacists’ contribution to a range of health issues including
smoking cessation, men’s health and antibiotic awareness. The Society
also supports BPROs in reacting to news stories by providing ready-made
responses and advice. Examples from this year include the Which? report,
adverse drug reactions and, most recently, the Shipman report. BPROs
can also work with the branch committee to create their own local stories
and these can be promoted in a number of ways.
· A news release is a prepared news story either flagging a forthcoming
event, or reporting on something that has already happened. To get an
idea of how a release is put together, take a look at some of the releases
on the Society’s website,
which has examples on a wide range of topics. Think visually. A good
photograph will help
your chances of publication and perhaps win more space on the page. You
might take this yourself, or arrange for a freelance photographer to
do the job.
· A letter to the editor is a straightforward and convenient way of
airing a point on a current issue.
· Cold calling is probably the quickest
way to get your story out. Simply phone your contacts and offer them
the story. If they are interested,
they will interview you immediately. If, on the other hand, you are contacted by the media for information
or a reaction to what is perhaps a national story, there are some points
to bear in mind. It is not wise to jump straight in with all guns blazing.
Note down what sort of information the reporter is after and then say
that you’ll call him or her back in a few minutes. This will give
you time to consider the message you want to put across, and perhaps
prepare a few notes. If you are asked to speculate on a matter, it is
probably best not to. Remember, the Society’s PR unit is always
happy to provide guidance.
Mike Burden underlines this: “Often the reporter will press for
an immediate answer, saying that his or her deadline is imminent. Refuse
to be pressured; just say ‘I need half an hour and then I’ll
call you back’. It’s all too easy to be rushed into saying
the wrong thing.”
Sometimes things can get hectic. Kurt Ramsden recalls the aftermath of
the Which? magazine survey earlier this year criticising the quality
of advice given in some community pharmacies. It was just the sort of
controversial story the national media loves.
“The phone didn’t stop ringing,” says Kurt. “We
had a television news camera team in the shop on the day that the report
was published to film a report for the BBC Six O’clock News, and
I fielded interview after interview that week.
“Fortunately, the Society had established an approach and an outline
statement in advance for BPROs to use in responding to the report and it
all went
pretty well.”
Would-be BPROs reading Network News should not let the thought of appearing
in front of TV cameras put them off. In reality most of their exposure
to the local media will be to local newspapers and radio stations.
The Society also offers professional media training free to all BPROs.
As a BPRO, Kurt Ramsden has been on the training day. He says: “The
course gave me a real insight into how the media operates and taught
me some valuable tricks of the trade.”
For a more in-depth look at what it takes to be a good BPRO, a booklet, “Hitting
the headlines”, is available from the Society’s PR unit (tel
020 7572 2335)
|
The
Pharmaceutical Journal