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Iona-Jane Harris was appointed BGS Press, PR and Parliamentary Affairs Officer in mid-April, following the BGS 2008 Strategic Review. David Oliver asked her about her background and initial impressions of her new role.

What is your background and how/why did you first get involved in public/media relations work?
I studied Modern Languages at Oxford University, graduating in 2001. After some time spent exploring the world, Public Relations and Public Affairs appealed as a career option as it offered me the opportunity to combine my analytical and creative skills to develop strategic communications plans. It is exciting to be in a position in which you can contribute to public debate and seek to influence policy developments and legislation.

What kind of roles have you played before joining the BGS and what kind of projects were you involved in?
I spent five years working as a consultant at Keene, an independent public relations and public affairs consultancy. I was responsible for a diverse range of clients in the public, private and charitable sectors. These included IndependentAge, a national older people’s charity, which rebranded from the Royal United Kingdom Beneficent Association as part of a campaign to raise its profile and increase its influence. I worked on a variety of activities to draw greater attention to the importance of independent living for older people. These ranged from conducting surveys into attitudes towards ageing and publicising their results to arranging Parliamentary receptions to facilitate the organisation’s political contact building.

I gained valuable insights into the workings of the Department of Health and the NHS through my work with Hidden Hearing, a private sector hearing healthcare provider, during the Modernisation of Hearing Aid Services Programme and its aftermath. This included identifying and acting on opportunities to contribute to the development of
audiology policy through working with MPs with an interest in audiology, or who were concerned by long waiting lists in their constituencies, and responding to a Health Select Committee Inquiry into Audiology Services. My work with Hidden Hearing also brought me into contact with the Welsh Assembly and the Scottish Parliament.

I also provided the West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service with strategic government relations advice during the modernisation of the fire service to ensure that they maintained good relationships with their constituency MPs at a time of significant restructuring and strike action.

In 2008, I had the opportunity to work on a project in Uganda, to provide NGOs with public relations training. On my return to Europe, I decided to spend some time in Paris to brush up my French. I have just returned to London after working for a small French communications agency and I am delighted to have been appointed to this newly created role at the BGS.

What appealed to you about becoming our first ever Press/PR/Parliamentary Affairs Officer?
It is an exciting challenge! The creation of this role represents a fantastic opportunity for the BGS to raise the profile of geriatric medicine and to draw political, media and public attention to the excellent work members are doing to provide older people with the care they deserve.

I am looking forward to developing a structured communications strategy, which will raise awareness of the BGS’ concerns, whilst highlighting the vital work of our members amongst our target audiences, whether these be journalists, fellow health professionals, PCT commissioners, politicians, carers, or the public at large.

What will you be doing first?
In order to develop a successful communications plan, I need to meet and hear from as many members as possible over the coming months. The key to any profile raising activity is to have an agreed set of communications objectives and priorities. I would like to receive members views on what you see as key messages the BGS should be communicating and who you perceive as our key target audiences.

If you have been in touch with journalists or MPs in the past, I would be grateful if you could drop me a line so that I can establish a database of the BGS’ political and media contacts.

I am also on the look out for members prepared to speak to the press and media on topics they have specialist knowledge of and media training will be provided for these individuals.

So please don’t hesitate to contact me either by email at IonaJaneHarris@bgs.org.uk or give me a call on 020 7608 8573. I look forward to working with you!

David Oliver interviewing Iona-Jane Harris
Press, PR and Parliamentary Affairs Officer
BGS

BGS Newsletter, May 2009
Issue 21 ISSN 1748-6343 21