Our recent work with Dr Foster

1. IS ‘SPECIAL MEASURES’ WORKING:
DR FOSTER
Client name
Sector
Timeframe
Budget
Dr Foster
Health data
January – February
2015
£3,250

2. 2Credentials | © Journalista 2015 | journalista.co.uk
• Develop and strengthen Dr Foster’s
reputation as a leader in healthcare
data analysis, trusted for its
accuracy and integrity.
• Showcase Dr Foster’s expertise in
relation to research into whether the
‘special measures’ regime instituted
in 11 NHS trusts following the
Keogh Review had had a
measurable impact on mortality
rates.
Challenge
Aims of PR
• Set the national health agenda
around the first statistical
evidence of ‘special measures’
working.
• Secure strong attendance from
key journalists at briefing.
• Significant coverage of report to
raise profile of Dr Foster and
encourage greater attendance at
future briefings.
CASE STUDY: DR FOSTER

3. 3Credentials | © Journalista 2015 | journalista.co.uk
Risks
Results
• As a ‘good news’ story, journalists
might be less likely to cover it.
• One trust (Tameside, a Dr Foster
client) showed a worsening trend in
the statistics and others showed
only marginal improvement – risk of
damage to client relationships.
• Coincided with DH announcement
about new ‘avoidable deaths’
regime in hospital trusts.
• Change of date of briefing and
embargo of report had potential to
damage coverage and journalist
attendance at briefing.
21.8mpotential audience of coverage
35+pieces of coverage
CASE STUDY: DR FOSTER
• Journalista used pre-existing
contacts with key health journalists
to organise attendees for expert
briefing, and pre-briefing where
necessary (in case of BBC)
• Particular emphasis was placed on
outlets including the BBC, HSJ and
Press Association.
• Careful to limit release of report to
Sunday journalists who would not
break embargo.
• As a reactive press office, helped
journalists understand the data in
the report and handle follow-up
enquiries and interview bids.
Implementation
8journalists attending briefing (incl. pre-
brief for BBC)

4. 4Credentials | © Journalista 2015 | journalista.co.uk
IMPLEMENTATION: EXPERT BRIEFING
The attendees were:
• Charlotte Lomas
(Sky News)
• Charlie Cooper
(The Independent)
• Stephen Adams
(The Mail on Sunday)
• James Lyons
(The Sunday Times)
• Will Hazell
(HSJ)
• Gareth Iacobucci
(BMJ)
• David Mercer
(Press Association)

5. 5Credentials | © Journalista 2015 | journalista.co.uk
IMPLEMENTATION: PRIVATE BRIEFINGS
Additional private briefings
were arranged with BBC
health journalists:
• Hugh Pym (Health editor)
• Katherine Jarman (Health
producer)

6. 6Credentials | © Journalista 2015 | journalista.co.uk
OUTPUTS: TV COVERAGE

7. 7 Credentials | © Journalista 2015 | journalista.co.uk
OUTPUTS: ONLINE COVERAGE

8. 8Credentials | © Journalista 2015 | journalista.co.uk
OUTPUTS: PRINT COVERAGE

9. 9Credentials | © Journalista 2015 | journalista.co.uk
OUTPUTS: SOCIAL MEDIA

10. 10Credentials | © Journalista 2015 | journalista.co.uk
01
Secured 35 pieces of
coverage across national,
regional and broadcast
press including the BBC,
Sky News and Guardian.
02
Organised seven national
health journalist attendees
for the expert briefing plus
two private briefings with
BBC journalists.
OUTCOMES
03
Reached 21.8m people
through coverage
attendees at expert
briefing and targeted press
release send out.
04
Reached an audience of
more than 90,000 people
through Twitter who
engaged with published
pieces.
05
Arranged video interviews
with BBC and Sky News,
which were broadcast on
respective channels.
“WE WERE DELIGHTED WITH THE
RESULTS OF JOURNALISTA’S
EFFORTS ON DELIVERING BOTH
IMPORTANT STAKEHOLDER
MANAGEMENT AND FANTATSIC
PROMINENT COVERAGE OF THE
OUR DATA. THE HEALTHCARE
INSIGHT AND KNOWLEDGE OF
HOLLY’S TEAM IS SECOND TO
NONE. THEIR ABILITY TO TAKE
THE TEMPERATURE AND STRIKE
THE RIGHT CONTENT AT THE
RIGHT TIME GIVES THEM THEIR
EDGE.”
Roger Taylor,
Director of Research, Dr Foster

11. WWW.JOURNALISTA.CO.UK
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