HCA PR PROGRAMME 2004
PROGRESS REPORT
May 2004 - November 2004
Introduction
This Progress Report summarises the Press Office/PR work conducted by Hazel Green on behalf of the Hospital Caterers Association over the period mid-May - 17 November 2004. The Report is divided into five separate sections which correspond to the main areas of PR activity that have been undertaken for the HCA.
1. HCA EVENTS & INITIATIVES
1.1 Media Training
- A Media Training course was set up and co-ordinated for AMcC/GW on 22 June in London with top media trainer, Mark Killick.
HG produced a briefing pack for MK on the HCA and some of the current key hospital catering issues. The course was based on ‘as live’ media scenarios in a TV interview setting combined with interactive sessions and critical assessments to give both AMcC/GW as much practical experience as possible.
1.2. Launch of Healthcare Caterers International (HCI)
- HG liaised with Mike Fryer of Complete Media who was preparing a press release announcing the formation of the HCI and assisted with advice re. UK trade press. HG also checked MF’s UK distribution list and provided additional media contacts for the release which was distributed in August 2004.
1.3 HCA National Protected Mealtimes
- HG was briefed by IR/CR regarding the launch of the HCA’s Protected Mealtimes Policy and the fact that it had been co-badged with the RCN. HG endeavoured to explore joint PR/media opportunities with the RCN Press Office. Following discussions it was agreed with the RCN that this might best be approached from a nurse training perspective and that this would need to be assessed internally at the RCN before we could approach any national media.
However HG did pursue the opportunity of the co-badging with the RCN to prepare an article for Professional Nurse magazine (see section 4.1)
1.4 HCA National Day 2005
- HG was asked to attend a meeting in London on 3 November with IR/GW and members of the GP Committee to discuss potential plans for the next HCA National Day (following the success of National Protected Mealtimes Day in 2004). The meeting discussed the idea of a National Day of Choice which would follow on as part of an ongoing drive to ‘enhance patient mealtimes’. However a number of issues need to be addressed including a tangible structure and definition for the Day as well as timing and launch venue. HG is drawing up a potential campaign statement which would create a clear descriptive framework for communication, both to HCA Members and externally to the media.
1.5 Branch Officer Training Day
- HG has been asked to prepare a brief presentation on HCA PR at the Branch Officers Training Day on 1 February 2005.
2. HCA NEWS ANNOUNCEMENTS
2.1 HCA President opens new Restaurant at Leighton Hospital
- Following information received that Lord Hunt had been invited in his capacity as Chair of the NPSA to open new kitchen and restaurant facilities at Leighton Hospital, HG liaised with the NPSA Press Office to assess if they were planning to issue a follow up press release. As they were not, HG sought permission to make this an HCA PR opportunity which was agreed. HG liaised with Carol Delves and prepared an HCA photo caption story for distribution to the catering/health service trade press.
Photographs were taken by Hospital Caterer’s photographer and supplied to HG. . Unfortunately because Lord Hunt was delayed in arriving for the opening, pictures were only available of the unveiling/ribbon cutting ceremony and not in the kitchen/with food displays.
The photo story plus selection of photographs were distributed on 6 October. Caterer & Hotelkeeper ran the story (14-20 Oct issue) but as they wanted a kitchen action shot which did not feature Lord Hunt, the caption did not refer to him or the HCA. Other coverage still to be assessed.
2.1 Building Better Healthcare Awards 2004
- HG has made contact with NHS Estates Press Office for details of the shortlisted nominations for their 2004 Building Better Healthcare Awards. The winners are to be announced on November 25. As a number of HCA Members are in the running for the Hospital Catering Award as well as other categories, HG is preparing a draft/preliminary press release on the Award Winners pending confirmations. This will be issued to the health service/trade press.
3. HCA MEDIA RESPONSES & STATEMENTS
3.1 Channel 4 “Dispatches” Programme on Hospital Food
In preparation for the expected highly negative Channel 4 Dispatches programme which was due to reveal secret filming by an undercover reporter at Tillery Valley Foods plant in Wales, HG liaised extensively with the TVF Press Officer for the company and obtained their pre-broadcast statement as well as those from the local environmental health and the local council. HG prepared a pre-broadcast HCA media statement.
Following the broadcast of the programme on 13 May, another HCA Media Statement was prepared stating strongly the Association’s views of the company’s hygiene breaches and confirming that these were not reflective of the extremely high standards employed within hospital catering.
HG supported AMcC with advice on handling potential media situations. Whilst HG arranged for AMcC to speak directly with Caterer & Hotelkeeper, the Media Statement was supplied for all other media enquiries.
3.2 Sausages used in hospital food
Following an item on a BBC Healthcheck programme in September which looked at the content of sausages and which featured an undercover assessment of sausages in schools, the BBC canteen and hospitals, the latter of which was shown to be the worst, HG approached PASA for guidance on recommendations for meat content for hospital caterers. HG now has a brief ‘standard’ media response should this issue be raised in future. However this needs to be expanded to take in use of other ‘controversial’ processed foods as well as other issues currently hitting the headlines etc salt.
4. PRESS ARTICLES
4.1 Professional Nurse Magazine
The HCA was invited to submit an Opinion piece for Professional Nurse
on the subject of catering and nutrition. Professional Nurse is circulated to mid-senior nurses with clinical care and clinical management responsibility.
HG prepared an article in the names of AMcC as HCA National Chair on the subject of the HCA’s National Protected Mealtimes initiative mentioning the recent co-badging with the RCN and the production of the HCA’s Protected Mealtimes Policy. The article is due to be published in December 2004 issue.
4.2 Hospital Caterer
HG prepared two article for Hospital Caterer magazine - the first on the work undertaken by the HCA Press Office over the year and the second on the HCA Media Training course undertaken by AMcC/GW in June. The articles were published in the August and October issues respectively.
4.3 Healthcare Equipment and Supplies Magazine
HG supplied information on the HCA’s National Protected Mealtimes Day Initiative and set up an interview with AMcC on 1 July with Healthcare Equipment & Supplies Magazine which was planning a double feature on catering standards and nutrition in the NHS. The article was published in the September issue.
4.4 Patient Voice Magazine
Following the HCA Conference 2004, HG supplied background press Information and captioned photographs to ‘Patient Voice’, the publication of The Patients Association. This appeared as a half page article in the July 2004 issue.
4.5 Public Service Review: Health
- The HCA has been invited to contribute a 1400 word article for the Public Service Review: Health which is a bi-annual publication produced in conjunction with NHS Estates and fronted by Secretary of State for Health, Dr John Reid. It is distributed free of charge to key decision makers in the NHS and has a current circulation of 7000. As the HCA’s previous article on protected mealtimes (under NW-J’s name) was well received, the HCA has been asked to submit this article on the Better Hospital Food Programme, what has been achieved, where it is now, how it fits into the Government’s emphasis on patient choice and what lies ahead.
HG has begun work on this article (deadline January 2005) but will need further input from AMcC.
5. GENERAL MEDIA LIAISON/COMMUNICATION
The HCA Press Office has dealt with a number of general media queries, issues and opportunities over the period May - November 2004. Some of the key highlights are as follows:
5.1 BBC Radio 4 Food Programme
The Radio 4 Food Programme approached the HCA Press Office for information and assistance with a major programme being planned on Hospital Food and four years on, the results of the BHF Programme.
HG provided a number of HCA past media statements but set up for the programme presenter, Sheila Dillon to interview AMcC at her own hospital and to conduct a tour of the kitchens/catering facilities at Darlington.
The programme item was recorded on Monday 5 July and the programme was scheduled for broadcast on Sunday 18 July at 12.30 pm.
Prior to this, the Radio Times ran a preview article entitled “Pick of the Week” in their issue of 17-23 July mentioning Darlington and quoting the soundbite given by AMcC at the beginning of the programme i.e. “food is our best medicine”. Sheila Dillon was also so impressed with the standard of the food at Darlington she urged Ron McKenzie to put himself forward for the Radio 4 Food and Farming Awards 2004 (announcement of winners due 23 Nov).
5.2 BBC TV London
BBC London approached the HCA Press Office for a comment on the question of the sustainable food programme and the suggested increase use of organic food in hospitals. This coincided with Prince Charles’ visit to promote organic food at St George’s Hospital, Tooting on 1 July.
As HG learnt that GW had been invited to attend and that BBC London TV had a film crew on site, HG arranged for the reporter to speak to GW at the event. This took place but the programme did not, unfortunately, broadcast HRH’s visit.
5.3 Prison Catering Supplement (Cost Sector Catering)
A journalist commissioned to write a special Supplement on Prison Catering wanted to compare how the same or similar issues facing prison caterers were being addressed by other public sector caterers notably schools and hospitals. HG arranged for both the National Chairs of the HCA and LACA to be interviewed on 3 October. Supplement was published in November.
5.4 Inside Health (Caterer & Hotelkeeper)
The HCA Press Office was approached by Caterer & Hotelkeeper in October
For help and assistance in compiling the content of the next edition of Inside Health, due to be published at the beginning of December. HG suggested a visit to Darlington Hospital and interview with RMcK as well as attendance at the joint HCA/BDA Seminar on the Implementation of the Council of Europe Resolution.
Following C & H and HG attendance at this event on 3 November, HG arranged for C & H to speak to both AMcC and Rick Wilson to obtain an overview of the key issues raised in the afternoon’s workshop sessions.
6 Miscellaneous: Parliamentary Monitoring
- At the request of SR, HG made contact with Political Wizard to assess whether their Parliamentary Monitoring Service was of any value to the HCA as a means of identifying relevant topics coming up from Government or other agencies/bodies with regard to hospital catering and relevant NHS issues..
Following a visit to their offices in London, HG has been trialling the service on behalf of both the HCA and LACA. To take on the service full time, there is a p/a fee (£4k). HG asked if this could be split 50/50 between the HCA and LACA given the similarities between the searches required and this is possible. However, the service is only of true value if the facilities are accessed every day or even twice a day which is time consuming.