from local gov to the nhs: comparing comms across the sectors

Plenty of folks have switched sectors in their careers, and many more follow. In this fascinating post we learn all about the differences, and similarities, in communications in local government and the NHS from one of the best comms pros around.

By GUEST EDITOR Ross Wigham

Hello and welcome from your friend in the North.

I’ve been a long time reader and occasional contributor to comms2point0 so it’s a real treat to be guest editing and a genuine honour to be asked.

Having moved to work in a hospital, after spending the last seven years at various councils the thing I’m most commonly asked is what’s the biggest difference? Clearly, that’s about as boring as asking how many times Newcastle United will concede more than four goals this season, but I do see some interesting parallels between the NHS as a whole and the average public sector comms team.

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#ournhs24 – learning from commscamp15

CommsCamp has been the source of many an idea and plan. But one vision, for a new NHS comms initiative, was sparked before-hand and road-tested at the event for communicators instead. Good thinking.

by Amanda Nash

I’ve never felt so naked in a room full of hundreds of strangers. I don’t want to put women off pitching at conferences, in fact Emma Rodgers’ blog inspired me to get up off my seat.

But the reality is, you’re up front alone, with just your idea for a session and a microphone in hand. It could be a great idea, if could be a really bad one. At the point when you see everyone out front staring at you expectantly, that’s the moment you think it’s probably the latter … but it’s too late. You have 30 seconds to sell it.

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telling truth to power: don’t flinch

The problem with blowing whistles is, it can mean everything stops, or something wrong is about to be put right, or a journey is about to start – or you are about to climb up out of the trench and face murderous machine-gun fire. The trick is to ensure you get the first three and never the evil fourth.

By Alan Taman

Dan Slee wrote that whistleblowing should be a part of the pr contract. Well, yes it should. But I would argue that in talking truth to power, and not being cut down for it, there are several things that need to happen before you even get to the point of putting whistle to lips. Without any of them, you can hear those hammers being primed. It’s only a question of time. And they are all about perspective – how the senior people see you, and see comms.

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a pr lesson from a missed meeting with death

Some moments are truly life changing. For one PR professional it was when he had cause to thank the NHS for his own life. He is passionate about PR in the service. He also believes that good PR is made by good people trying to make things happen better.

By Alan Taman

I died 9 years ago. It changes your view on things.

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fear is viral: the plague pr pitfall

The most terrifying thing about pestilence is its power to terrify. In reputational terms, any plague has a mighty PR punch that far exceeds the reach of the disease itself – and often brings out the worst in people. That demands responsibility on the part of PR professionals.

By GUEST EDITOR Alan Taman

Case in point: ebola. A haemorrhagic fever with no vaccine or cure. Meaning if left untreated victims will rapidly dehydrate and die through organ failure, shedding the virus in their body fluids as they do so. Which will infect new victims through any mucous membrane or broken skin. But not, thankfully, via airborne droplets, as in flu, or via parasites, as with bubonic plague (which could also spread via droplets; ‘Atishoo, atishoo, we all fall down’ – grim, some nursery rhymes).

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signs of health: ill or good?

How are you today? In good health? Health is massively important, to everyone. And communications is a vital if relatively recent professional function in the NHS. So why is it that it is often misunderstood, ignored or mistreated?

By Alan Taman

There are many PRs whose employers or clients misunderstand what PR is. The role of the PR then includes education about the realities of the profession and the process. But it is ironic that, to most health professionals, the communications function as it relates to public relations is something they are unfamiliar with.

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