GPs are used to change; their area of responsibility within the NHS has evolved ten times in the last 20 years, though perhaps not quite as dramatically as the current plans. So how do those wishing to market to GPs take advantage of this situation and ensure products, services or brands get GPs' attention and buy in?
As part of the ongoing work Merchant’s PR team does with Spire Bushey Hospital in Hertfordshire, it was recently tasked with promoting a new procedure for ‘claw hand’ offered by orthopaedic consultant Mr Elliot Sorene.
...and its connections to QIPP
We are all familiar with the current NHS challenge: 20-25 per cent of efficiency savings (approximately £20bn) in four years. But hang on a minute, that started a year ago, so if that level of saving wasn’t achieved in year one (which it wasn’t), doesn’t that mean there’s an even greater percentage saving to be achieved in what is now less than three years?
In short, yes. Which is why, now more than ever, it is vital for NHS suppliers to understand NHS procurement from the inside out. This is where we come in – to try and simplify some of the changes and help providers market themselves into the NHS.
The controversial Health and Social Care Bill is currently in the House of Lords where a long list of amendments is being voted upon as we write. But putting politics to one side, is now the time for you to hunt down valuable NHS contracts or would it be best to focus efforts elsewhere?
Have you ever told a porky about having a big lunch or polishing off the last of the treats at home? You’re not alone.
The Merchant PR team carried out a survey on behalf of client Timex to promote its new Health Tracker watch which found that women tell a total of 474 lies a year about food.
...in a language they will listen to.
PMLive recently contacted us to write an article about the recently renamed (from GP Consortia) NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups. We decided that the most interesting approach would be from the perspective of communication with, as anyone marketing to the NHS will appreciate, the increasingly elusive GP.
Fundamentally GPs are expected to have all the skills to reduce the level of spend yet many don’t. Address this in your communications. Provide a business-led case study, outlining the benefits for GPs, potential financial savings and, most importantly, the outcomes for patients. Ensure that it is relevant to the local population and its needs. We encourage all our clients to think national but execute locally, demonstrating local insight.
A case for stronger internal communications?
Managing the risk of abuse in care is one of the most finely balanced operational challenges for residential care groups. The outcry following the recent BBC Panorama documentary very publicly highlighted the problems when the systems in place fail. The NHS has pulled out residents and revoked Castlebeck contracts. Staff have been jailed and Castlebeck Winterbourne View has been closed.
Recent in-depth conversations I have had with Terry Bryan – the senior nurse who blew the whistle on the Castlebeck Winterbourne View abuse – got me thinking...
Earlier this month the nation witnessed another tricky day for the government and the problematic health bill. The bill was approved by the MPs but will no doubt face further opposition when it reaches the House of Lords. For us the question is how will the bill affect marketing strategy in the healthcare environment? Are suppliers prepared to make the most of the opportunities presented to them by the bill?