Communications and Public Relations staff help organisations engage with different groups of service users including patients, staff, local communities and other interested groups including the media.
Working life
Working as part of the Communications and Public Relations teams means that you could be providing information in many ways:
- Employee engagement – Keeping staff informed about organisational changes, new initiatives, and important news that may have an impact on their role.
- Internal communications – Creating and distributing internal newsletters, emails, and memos to keep staff updated on key issues and highlighting changes.
- Promoting a positive work environment – Highlighting successes, recognising achievements, and fostering a sense of community among employees.
- Media relations – Responding to media enquiries, facilitating interviews with experts, and managing media coverage.
- Public relations – Developing and implementing public relations strategies to build and maintain a positive reputation for the NHS or Social Care organisation.
- Patient and public engagement – Providing clear and accessible information to patients and the public about healthcare services, treatments, and research using a variety of methods.
- Website and social media management – Ensuring that the organisations website and social media platforms are up-to-date and provide accurate information.
- Crisis communication – Developing and implementing communication plans to manage and respond to crises and incidents that may arise unexpectedly.
- Strategic communications – Providing advice to senior managers on communication strategies and messaging.
- Health promotion – Developing and delivering health promotion campaigns to encourage healthy behaviours within the population.
- Engagement with local communities – Working with local organisations and communities to improve healthcare services and outcomes.
- Monitoring and evaluation – Tracking the effectiveness of communication campaigns and making adjustments as needed.
Working in Communications and Public Relations can mean that you’ll use many different methods of communication including print, digital, media, events and advertising campaigns throughout your role and will usually work with a team of colleagues to plan media campaigns for your organisation.
Requirements
Although there is no set entry route, communications and PR staff often have a relevant qualification. This could be in PR, marketing, journalism or communications, often at degree level.
Employers may expect experience, which could be paid or voluntary. It may be possible to gain experience in an admin job in a communications department.
Personal characteristics
To work successfully within the Communications and Public Relations team, you need to consider your own personal characteristics. You would need to have the following attributes or similar:
- Be accurate and methodical and have good attention to detail
- Be able to work as part of a team but also able to use your own initiative
- Be willing to follow procedures and take instruction from senior team members
- Be able to work with all people from various backgrounds with different experiences
- Be creative
- Be able to work well under pressure
- Be able to deal with confidential and sensitive situations
Skills required
To work successfully within the Communications and Public Relations team, you need to consider the skills that you have. You would need to demonstrate the following:
- Be well organised and able to plan your time
- Be able to communicate with a variety of people using different methods
- Have positive customer service skills
- Have excellent writing skills
- Have good networking skills
- Be able to research a variety of topics
- Be able to use social media
Training and development opportunities
When you begin to work as a member of the Communications and Public Relations team, you will receive the training you require to be able to undertake the role successfully.
You will receive an induction which will introduce you to the department you will be working in, will support you in accessing the IT systems and will ensure you are aware of the policies and procedures you will be required to follow in the undertaking of your role.
You will also have to complete any statutory and mandatory training that your employer requires such as fire training, data security training and customer service.
Career development opportunities
When you start the job, you will be given the training you need including an introduction to the communications and public relations department and its systems and procedures. You will be expected to keep your knowledge and skills up to date. Your employer may offer you the chance to go on short courses on particular topics such as social media, web development, etc.
You may also have the opportunity to get a qualification by doing an apprenticeship. And you could take further qualifications such as those offered by the Association of Healthcare Communications and Marketing, Chartered Institute of Public Relations or the Public Relations Consultants Association.
Communications and PR staff can become members of a professional association such as the Association for Healthcare Communications and Marketing, the Chartered Institute of Public Relations or the Public Relations Consultants Association. Each organisation offers conferences, seminars and meetings where staff can update their skills and knowledge and network with others in the same field.
Pay and benefits
Communications and Public Relations team members usually work around 37.5 hours per week. Depending on the role and the setting you work in, you may be required to work evenings or weekends when required.
Communications and Public Relations team members in the NHS are paid using the Agenda for Change (AfC) system and will typically start their career on AfC band 2 or 3 but with experience, further training and additional qualifications, can progress further up the pay scale. It is also possible to apply for more senior positions at bands 4 and 5 if you already have qualifications and experience from another sector.
Other benefits of working within the Communications and Public Relations team include access to a pension scheme, health service discounts such as a Blue Light Card and 27 days of annual leave in addition to bank holidays.