All in it together
It’s not often within our blog that we end with an offer of something. We have tended to use the blog as a way of shouting, chatting, ranting, or whispering a view held by someone within. But…
…we are coming to the end of a sizable project for the NHS to help understand and develop communications strategy, and having spent a month wandering the countryside running group sessions with practice managers, GPs, cluster heads, management and directors.
Getting close up and personal has been nothing but a learning experience. Not only in terms of the levels of influence geography, personality and demography have on strategy and implementation, but also in terms of the consistent views that these groups have on the pharma world. We have been using pharma activity as a baseline comparison for communications approach and tactical execution. But also constantly drawing comparisons with the challenges that pharma have faced and solved and the challenges that exist for the NHS. Centrally dictated strategy, regional focus, localised resistance, the role of local representatives, consistency of tone, internal buy in, and the sliding scale between command and latitude all are massive issues for everyone. The industry has consistently been reported by the groups as good communicators, great at training, and generally good to have around. With the ever present caveat as always trying to sell something.
As an agency we are increasingly invited to join in meetings with NHS liaison departments, working alongside them in a consultancy role to help build strategic partnership and hunt down joint working projects. In contrast to the ground troops, the NHS directors we speak to are all uncertain about the risks of engaging with pharma. Mistrust and uncertainty being justified with tales of burnt fingers during various ‘nurse audits’ and other provided services where they have felt at least “tainted” or at most “turned over”.
I cannot help but feel on the tale end of this project that a good place to start would be to offer an olive branch, in areas that are often alien; internal communications, remote command and control, inspiration and engagement. All what we consider bread and butter to the pharma world. The lessons we learn rolling out a campaign across 20 markets in Europe for Alli recently are directly relevant to a regional role out of World Class Commissioning.
The very present need for short term ROI doesn’t help this, you need to be in a relationship to benefit with it, and at some point a risk has to be taken by one of the parties. To put their faith in the medium/longer term potential of developing this relationship.
I feel that our current world with reps being the main NHS interface is not far from being extinct, and those companies that make a first move will be best placed in the brave new world. I would love to speak further to anyone who would listen on this – we have an idea that might help with this first step.
