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Letters to the Editor
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Pharmacists in the media
Use the local media
From Mr J. Saltman
Martin Palmer’s lashing out for the alleged failure of the pharmacy
profession to get large quantities of media
coverage (PJ, 27 August,
p250) is not so much a bit unfair as downright inaccurate. As a former
Panorama producer and later editor of This Week on Thames Television,
I know a little about getting the attention of the media. And I have,
for the past 10 years or so, tried to help both head office and branch
public relations officers in handling the media.
So let us look at the problem. The Royal Pharmaceutical Society’s
press office does a good job sending out press releases on all relevant
stories. It has good contacts with medical correspondents in the print
and electronic media. It does frequently have successes in all elements
of the media. I often record members of the Society off air, responding
to current stories so that in future teaching sessions, I can use these
appearances as material, picking out the good and sometimes slightly
less good points. But as an ex-producer myself, I know that there is
an unfortunate attitude towards medical stories that only time and constant
pushing by pharmacists will overcome. It is a mixture of laziness and
the use of clichés by television researchers. The very use of
the title “doctor” gives the interviewee an expert status
(sometimes quite spuriously earned) in the minds of the viewers or listeners.
Sadly, the fact that on some occasions, the story might actually be advanced
somewhat further by a more knowledgeable person in the shape of a pharmacist
is ignored by media people taking a lazy shortcut. The press office can
perform quite brilliantly but the media will always retain the right
to put on the microphone or screen whom they want.
When lecturing to branch PROs I always teach that making contact with
local media people in the regions is important. I tell them to get a
name and make contact with someone on their local radio or television
station, to make sure they are aware that the pharmacy PROs are there
to provide material or potential interviewees on matters medical. I have
also suggested that pharmacists might try with their local radio or television
stations to offer a regular spot — an “Advice from your local
pharmacist” type of thing. But all this takes time. All too frequently
I am told by branch PROs “I didn’t really want the job but
no one else would do it” or “it all sounds great in principle,
but when am I supposed to do all this work when I am working flat out
to start with?”.
I sympathise enormously with the comments from hard-working members.
But in their hands lies the real answer to Mr Palmer’s complaints.
It is always nice to get national publicity (provided it is of the right
kind and not a defensive position after a Which? magazine revelation)
but it could be even better if members were able to make the time to
use the local media. The aggregated exposure and the total audiences
reached would far outweigh the impact of an occasional national showing.
Finally, as for popping up in soap operas, what would be required is
a pharmaceutical Richard Gordon (“Doctor in the House”) or
a James Herriot. But seriously, in my opinion it is not the dramas that
will improve the lot of pharmacists; it is in the current affairs, the
documentaries and the news programmes that pharmacists will create the
bigger, better and more professional image.
Jack Saltman
Claygate, Surrey
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The
Pharmaceutical Journal