CouncilAgenda Item: 09/89
Date: Friday 27th November 2009
Communications Report to Council
JulytoOctober 2009
UK – media activity
Date / Topic /Media
/ Interviewee/background brief03/07/09 / RCN response to possible NHS pay cut / Daily Telegraph / Dr Peter Carter, Chief Executive, and Josie Irwin, Head of Employment Relations
05/07/09 / Response to Patients’ Association report on patient neglect / Sunday Telegraph / Dr Peter Carter
03/07/09 / RCN comment on Health Select Committee report on patient safety / BBC Radio 5 Live – Morning Report / Howard Catton, Head of Policy
13/07/09 / Letter on student bursaries / The Guardian / Dr Peter Carter
14/07/09 / Comment on Lord Darzi resignation / BBC News Online / Dr Peter Carter
16/07/09 / Comment on Baby P case / BBC News Online; ITV News / Dr Peter Carter, and
Howard Catton
25/07/09-28/07/09 / RCN moves to adopt neutral stance on assisted suicide / Daily Telegraph; The Times; Daily Telegraph; BBC News Online; BBC News Online;The Guardian; The Observer; ITN News Online; The Metro; Daily Mirror; Daily Mail; Sunday Express;Daily Mirror;Daily Mail;Sky News;The Independent; Channel 4 News Online; Daily Telegraph; The Independent / Dr Peter Carter, Howard Catton
29/07/09 / Former doctor admits to paying for friend to end life at suicide clinic / The Times / Dr Peter Carter
29/07/09 / Comments from Lady Morgan on assisted suicide / The Guardian / RCN referenced
30/0709 / Letter to The Times: RCN explains its position on assisted suicide / The Times / Dr Peter Carter
30/07/09 - 31/07/09 / Law Lords rule on Debbie Purdy case / The Guardian; The Independent; ITN News Online; Daily Mail; Press Association;Daily Telegraph; The Independent; Daily Mirror; Daily Mail; The Times (Lord Falconer comment) / RCN referenced
30/07/09 / Novelist committed suicide in secret / Daily Mail / RCN referenced
30/07/09 / Margo McDonald comments on assisted suicide / The Guardian / RCN referenced
31/07/09 / Lord Warner letter on assisted suicide / The Times / RCN referenced
01/08/09 / Comment on new NHS Chief Executive at Mid Staffs / BBC News Online / Tim Baggs, Communications Officer
01/08/09-03/08/09 / Story on ‘Special’ dementia treatments / The Guardian; The Times / RCN referenced
01/08/09 / Letter on assisted suicide / Daily Telegraph / RCN referenced
02/08/09- 03/08/09 / Comments by Sir Terry Pratchett on assisted suicide and palliative care / Mail on Sunday; Daily Mail / RCN referenced
05/08/09 / Mona Grey obituary / The Independent / RCN referenced
05/08/09 / Comments by Conservative MP Nadine Dorries on assisted suicide / Daily Mail / RCN referenced
05/08/09 / RCN alcohol survey published / BBC News Online / Dr Peter Carter
06/08/09-07/08/09 / RCN comment on NHS Information Centre staff vacancy figures / The Times; Daily Telegraph; Daily Mail; Channel 4 News Online; Press Association / Dr Peter Carter
07/08/09 / School nurses to administer swine flu jab / Daily Telegraph / RCN referenced
12/08/09 / Bliss – neonatal care research / BBC News Online / RCN referenced
17/08/09 / Letter from the RCN defending the NHS / The Independent / Dr Peter Carter
18/08/09 / Comment on Nursing Times survey on nurses’ uptake of swine flu vaccine / The Guardian / Dr Peter Carter
19/08/09 / RCN response to Boorman review / BBC News Channel; ITV Lunchtime News;The Guardian / Dr Peter Carter
23/08/09 / Comment on DH management consultant spending / Sunday Telegraph / Dr Peter Carter
27/08/09-29/08/09 / Response to Patients’ Association report on poor patient care / Daily Telegraph; Daily Mail; Daily Express; The Guardian; Daily Star;Sky News; BBC News Online; BBC News Channel; Channel 4 News; The Independent / Dr Peter Carter
31/08/09 / Scottish Government to set minimum price for alcohol / The Times / RCN referenced
31/08/09 / RCN voices concerns over healthcare assistant training / The Times; Daily Mail; The Sun / Dr Peter Carter
03/09/09 / Comment on report suggesting 137,000 job cuts in NHS / Daily Telegraph; Daily Mail; The Guardian; The Metro; Daily Mirror; Daily Express;Sky News;BBC News Channel;ITV’s This Morning / Dr Peter Carter
11/09/09 / Lord Phillips comment on assisted suicide / The Daily Telegraph; Daily Mail; The Guardian / RCN referenced
12/09/09-14/09/09 / RCN school nurses report published / BBC News Online; Daily Mail; Daily Telegraph / Janet Davies, Executive Director of Nursing and Service Delivery
14/09/09 / Comment on doctors not following resuscitation guidelines / Daily Telegraph / RCN referenced
16/09/09 / Comment on third Mid-Staffs inquiry / Daily Telegraph / Dr Peter Carter
16/09/09 / Concerns over Government’s ISA vetting plans / Evening Standard; Daily Telegraph / RCN referenced
16/09/09 / New report finds NHS spent £300m on management consultants / Daily Telegraph / RCN referenced
18/09/09 / Patient group survey published / The Guardian; The Times / RCN referenced
24/09/09 / Suicide advice websites face prosecution / Daily Telegraph / RCN referenced
27/09/09 / Upcoming Government report to give critically ill newborn babies one-to-one care / The Observer / RCN referenced
05/10/09 / Column discussing the RCN school nurse survey / Daily Telegraph / RCN referenced
07/10/09 / RCN response to Alzheimer’s Society survey on antipsychotic drugs / Daily Telegraph; BBC News Online / Dr Peter Carter
07/10/09 / RCN gives its view on the future of public services / The Guardian / Dr Peter Carter
12/10/09 / Response to figures showing NHS spends £1.5 million on private healthcare for staff / The Metro / Dr Peter Carter
12/10/09-13/10/09 / RCN member Margaret Haywood reinstated / BBC News Channel; BBC News; The Times; Daily Mail; Daily Mirror; The Daily Telegraph; The Independent; The Metro / Dr Peter Carter, RCN referenced
19/10/09 / RCN 2009 Employment Survey published / Sky News;BBC News Online; Daily Telegraph; Daily Mirror; The Times; ITN, The Metro / Josie Irwin, Dr Peter Carter
19/10/09 / Response to Alcohol & Health Research Unit research / The Times; The Guardian; Daily Telegraph / Dr Peter Carter
20/10/09-22/10/09 / Swine flu immunisation begins – RCN comments / The Guardian; Daily Mail; BBC News Online; Daily Telegraph; BBC Breakfast (Steve Jamieson); BBC News Channel; Sky News; Channel 4 News; BBC Local Radio; BBC Radio 5Live / Dr Peter Carter, Steve Jamieson, Head of Nursing Department
25/10/09 / Comment on ‘assisted self-harming’ initiative / The Observer / Ian Hulatt, Mental Health Adviser
25/10/09 / Column mentioning RCN stance on minimum alcohol pricing / Sunday Telegraph / RCN referenced
26/10/09 / RCN comment on swine flu vaccine for NHS staff / Daily Mail; Evening Standard / RCN referenced
29/10/09 / RCN comment on violence against NHS staff / BBC Radio 5Live / Janet Davies
Westminster – parliamentary and political activity
Date / Topic / RCN representation08/07/09 / Meetings with Susan Kramer MP and Tim Loughton MP with Linda Partridge from WellChild regarding the Better at Home campaign / Will Hardy, Parliamentary Officer
20/07/09 / Meeting with Geoffrey Dennis, CEO Care International, to discuss the RCN’s international work / Maura Buchanan, President, and Lisa Timothy, Parliamentary Officer
20/07/09 / Prepared and distributed briefing ahead of the Child Support Bill’s Second Reading / Will Hardy
29/07/09 / Wrote to selected MPs and Peers on behalf of Dr Peter Carter outlining the RCN’s position on assisted suicide / Lisa Timothy
28/08/09 / Liaised with members and staff to prepare submission to the Conservative Party’s consultation on the future of nursing / Lisa Timothy
14/09/09 / Prepared submission to the Health Select Committee on commissioning / Laurence Meehan, Senior Parliamentary Officer
01/07/09 – 08/10/09 / Led on engagement with the Health Hotel and organisation of the RCN fringe event at the party conferences / Laurence Meehan
01/07/09 – 14/09/09 / Consulted with members and staff about the RCN’s election priorities. Coordinated production of RCN General Election Manifesto / Laurence Meehan
01/07/09 – 19/09/09 / Organised the RCN’s attendance at Liberal Democrat Party Conference / Will Hardy
20/09/09 – 22/09/09 / Attended Liberal Democrat Party Conference in Bournemouth and attended numerous events, including meetings with Norman Lamb MP, Greg Mulholland MP, Baroness Barker and Paul Burstow MP / Dr Peter Carter, Bobbie Chadwick, Deputy President, Laurence Meehan, Will Hardy and Lisa Timothy
30/09/09 / Prepared submission to the Health Select Committee on the future of social care / Lisa Timothy
01/07/09 – 26/09/09 / Organised the RCN’s attendance at Labour Party Conference / Laurence Meehan
27/09/09 – 30/09/09 / Attended Labour Party Conference in Brighton and attended numerous events, including meetings with Mike O’Brien MP, Lord McKenzie of Luton, Phil Hope MP, Gillian Merron MP and Sally Keeble MP / Dr Peter Carter, Maura Buchanan, Amanda Callaghan, Director of Communications, Rachel Dufton, Public Affairs Manager, Laurence Meehan and Will Hardy
01/07/09 – 02/10/09 / Organised the RCN’s attendance at Conservative Party Conference / Lisa Timothy
04/10/09 – 08/10/09 / Attended Conservative Party Conference in Manchester and attended numerous events, including meetings with Earl Howe, Anne Milton MP and Mike Penning MP / Dr Peter Carter, Sandra James, Chair of Council, Amanda Callaghan, Rachel Dufton, Howard Catton, Laurence Meehan and Lisa Timothy
20/10/09 / Prepared briefing ahead of Dr Peter Carter’s speaking engagement at the Associate Parliamentary Health Group / Laurence Meehan
20/10/09 / Meeting with Ann Keen MP and Linda Partridge from WellChild regarding theBetter at Home campaign. / Fiona Smith, Children and Young People Nursing Adviser, and Will Hardy
23/10/09 / RCN General Election Manifesto and covering letter sent to all prospective Parliamentary candidates / Laurence Meehan
01/10/09 – 31/10/09 / Invited Ann Keen MP and prepared template invite to be used by Regional Communications Officers for the RCN Student Bus launch / Lisa Timothy
01/07/09 – 31/10/09 / Attended Joint Trade Unions Group meetings on the Independent Safeguarding Authority / Will Hardy and Howard Catton
England regions – media activity
Date / Topic /Media
/ Interviewee/background briefEast Midlands
02/07/09 / Leicester academic influences RCN breastfeeding guidance for infants in hospital / Loughborough Mail / RCN referenced
25/07/09 / RCN moves to adopt neutral stance on assisted suicide / Leicester Mercury; Derby Evening Telegraph; Nottingham Evening Post / Dr Peter Carter
31/08/09 / Stress-related sickness among NHS staff / Derby Evening Telegraph / Dr Sheila Marriott, Director, RCN East Midlands Region
24/09/09 / Derby Hospitals record big parking profits / Derby Evening Telegraph / Cliff Edwards, Operational Manager
29/09/09 / Election of Nottinghamshire nurse to RCN governing council / Nottingham Evening Post / Dave Miller, RCN member
07/10/09 / High pay rises for NHS executives in Derbyshire / Derby Evening Telegraph / Dr Sheila Marriott
21/10/09 / Swine flu vaccination programme begins / BBC Radio Northampton / Dr Peter Carter
Eastern
25/07/09 - 31/07/09 / RCN moves to adopt neutral stance on assisted suicide / Cambridge News; Eastern Daily Press; BBC Radio Suffolk / Dr Peter Carter, Karen Webb, Director, RCN Eastern Region
29/07/09 / Fears that Ipswich Hospital could be taken over by Private Company / East Anglian Daily Times / Marilyn Martin , RCN Officer
30/07/09 / Nurses express anger at franchise plans for Hinchingbrooke Hospital / Huntingdon Town Crier; St Neots News / Tony Durcan, RCN Officer
27/08/09 / Patients’ Association Survey, RCN Response / BBC Radio Suffolk / Karen Webb
02/09/09 / Alcohol abuse and impact on Doctors in A&E / Cambridge News / Karen Webb
03/09/09 / McKinsey Report – NHS needs nurses / Eastern Daily Press / Dr Peter Carter
10/09/09 / Hinchingbrooke Hospital need for subsidies and issue of long term debt for hospital / News and Crier / Tony Durcan
15/09/09 / School Nurses stretched / Daily Gazette / RCN referenced
15/10/09 / Nurses from QEII win awards / Welwyn and Hatfield Review / Dr Peter Carter
19/10/09 / Nurses under pressure: staff shortages compromise patient care / Southend Echo; Essex Echo / RCN referenced
19/10/09 / Swine Flu vaccination of front line workers / BBC Look East / Karen Webb
North West
24/06/09 / Job fears over threat to Burns Unit status / Liverpool Echo / Dave Parr, RCN member
25/06/09 / Crisis hit smokers refuse to stub out / Chester Evening Leader / RCN referenced
29/07/09 – 08/09/09 / RCN moves to adopt neutral stance on assisted suicide / Liverpool Echo; Metro Manchester; Manchester Evening News;Lancashire Telegraph; Cheshire Chronicle; / RCN referenced
31/07/09 / Support reform / Liverpool Daily Post / RCN referenced
03/08/09 / Exodus of NHS staff over pensions / Isle of Man Examiner; Manx Radio / Steve Flanagan, Director, RCN North West Region, and Voirrey Kewley, RCN member
05/08/09 / Danger of reform / Liverpool Echo / RCN referenced
09/08/09 / NHS fails to fill vacant posts / Liverpool Daily Post / Steve Flanagan
19/08/09 / Jo’s potty about being green / Liverpool Daily Post / RCN referenced
19/08/09 / NHS sickness levels / BBC Radio Manchester / Dr Peter Carter
07/09/09 - 08/09/09 / 137,000 NHS jobs ‘at risk in cash cuts’ / Manchester Evening News; Metro Manchester / Dr Peter Carter
09/09/09 / ‘Cruel treatment’ of the NHS nurses / Metro Manchester / RCN referenced
08/10/09 / Dignity for patients / BBC North West / Janine Dyson, RCN Officer
15/10/09 - 17/10/09 / Margaret Haywood wins appeal / Liverpool Daily Post; Liverpool Echo / RCN referenced
17/10/09 / Specialist eye nurse wins award / Liverpool Echo / RCN referenced
20/10/09 - 21/10/09 / Staff shortages hitting nurses and patient care / Liverpool Daily Post; Liverpool Echo; Manchester Evening News / Dr Peter Carter
22/10/09 / Committee role for nurse / Liverpool Echo / Andrea Spyropolous, Board Member
Northern
03/08/09 / “How badly do you need a drink?” / Newcastle Evening Chronicle / Glenn Turp, Director, RCN Northern Region
03/08/09 / RCN activist appointed to the position of president of the European Nursing Students Association / Nursing Times / Saffron Brown, Student Member of RCN Council
10/08/09 / Interview on long term nursing vacancies / BBC Radio Newcastle / Martin O’Neill, RCN Officer
13/08/09 / RCN campaign for trusts not to cut back on experienced nurses to save money / Northern Echo / Glenn Turp
27/08/09 / “Patients tell of shocking care in NHS” - article in response to Patients Association report / Newcastle Evening Chronicle / Glenn Turp
27/08/09 / RCN sponsors two of North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust Celebrating Excellence awards / Cumbria News / Glenn Turp
27/08/09 / Live interview on Patients’ Association Report / BBC Radio Newcastle / Jake Turnbull, Communications Officer
27/08/09 / The number of nursing staff assaulted by patients and visitors to the North Tees and Hartlepool trust sites / Hartlepool Mail / Jake Turnbull
22/09/09 / NMC to “fast-track” retired nurses back on to the register if H1N1 cases spike over Winter 09/10 / Sunderland Echo / Glenn Turp
25/09/09 / “Cuts to NHS budgets risk safety and quality” / Newcastle Evening Chronicle / Glenn Turp
28/09/09 / “Professor Kath leads from the front” / Newcastle Evening Chronicle / Kath McCourt, Council Member
South West
25/06/09 / Smoking / Western Morning News / Jennifer Percival, Tobacco Policy Adviser
04/07/09 / Exeter office move / Western Morning News / RCN referenced
28/07/09 – 27/08/09 / RCN moves to adopt neutral stance on assisted suicide / Western Morning News; Metro South West; Western Daily Press; Kingsbridge and Salcome Gazette; Ivybridge and East Brent Gazette / RCN referenced
02/08/09 - 05/08/09 / Appointment of Sue Jones as Director at Yeovil District Hospital / Western Gazette (Castle Cary Bruton & Wincanton); Western Gazette (Crewkern & Chard) / RCN referenced
20/08/09 / Artists Profile / Wells Journal; Cheddar Valley Gazette / RCN referenced
30/08/09 / Patients’ Association Report / Western Morning News / Dr Peter Carter
09/09/09 / Nuffield Dispute / Plymouth Herald / RCN referenced
10/09/09 / Bournemouth International Centre / Bournemouth Echo / RCN referenced
12/09/09 - 24/09/09 / RCN Council Elections / Exeter Express and Echo; Bath Chronicle / Lors Allford, RCN member
24/09/09 / NHS Partners in Cornwall Scheme / Western Morning News / Sue Simmons,RCN Project Co-ordinator
30/09/09 / Out of Hours GP services and Cornwall Hospitals Trust / BBC Radio Cornwall / Sue Matthews, RCN Officer
11/10/09 / Proposals for cuts in spending in the Public Sector / BBC TV – Regional; The Politics Show and Points West / Debra Nicholson, Board Member
21/10/09 – 22/10/09 / Nursing staff shortages / Swindon Advertiser; Metro South West / Dr Peter Carter
West Midlands
03/07/09 / Health Select Committee patient safety enquiry report published / Birmingham Post; BBC Radio Stoke / Tom Sandford, Director, RCN England
03/07/09 / Cure the NHS still pressing for public enquiry on Stafford Hospital failings / West Midlands Express and Star / Tom Sandford
21/07/09 / Cure the NHS reserves judgement on new inquiry into Stafford Hospital. Mention of RCN position / West Midlands Express and Star; Nuneaton Telegraph; Coventry Telegraph / RCN referenced
25/07/09 - 31/07/09 / RCN moves to adopt neutral stance on assisted suicide / West Midlands Express and Star; Shropshire Star;Birmingham Post / Dr Peter Carter
12/08/09 / Nursing student runner up in national awards / Birmingham Post; Burton Mail / RCN referenced
24/08/09 / Former RCN steward’s files disclosed to third party in computer shop mistake / Coventry Telegraph; Nuneaton Telegraph / Tim Baggs
27/08/09 / Patients’ Association reveals case studies of poor nursing care / BBC Radio WM (West Midlands) / Paul Vaughan, Director, RCN West Midlands Region
28/08/09 / Hospital postpones application for FT status to focus on quality improvement / The Sentinel (Stoke) / Chris Bourne, RCN member
29/08/09 / Former RCN steward suspended over sensitive information disclosure / Coventry Telegraph; Nuneaton Telegraph / RCN referenced
14/09/09 / School nurses’ workload burden / West Midlands Express and Star / RCN referenced
16/09/09 - 22/09/09 / Preceptorship back pay breakthrough for Birmingham Children’s Hospital nurses / Nursing Standard; Birmingham Mail; Nursing Times;Birmingham Post / Steve Hoare, RCN member
30/09/09 / Progress report on hospital’s action plan to improve care and nurse leadership / The Sentinel (Stoke) / Chris Bourne
05/10/09 / Former RCN president to address pensioners’ forum / The Sentinel (Stoke) / RCN referenced
19/10/09 - 20/10/09 / Nursing care comprised by staff shortages – RCN survey / Shropshire Star; West Midlands Express and Star / Dr Peter Carter
21/10/09 / Swine flu vaccination programme begins / BBC Radio Shropshire; BBC Radio Stoke / Dr Peter Carter
Yorkshire and the Humber
28/07/09 – 04/08/09 / RCN moves to adopt neutral stance on assisted suicide / Yorkshire Post; Sheffield Star; Telegraph and Argus; Metro Yorkshire; Doncaster Star; Yorkshire Evening Post / RCN referenced
30/07/09 / Nurses lobby health chiefs over transfer of NHS services / Yorkshire Post / Sharon Benstead, RCN Officer
30/07/09 / MP links campaign to raise standards / Telegraph and Argus / RCN referenced
31/07/09 / NHS Hull’s plan to privatize criticised / Hull Daily Mail / Sharon Benstead
08/08/09 / NHS struggling to recruit staff as vacancies hit 5 year high / Yorkshire Post / RCN referenced
19/08/09 / NHS sickness levels / BBC Radio Humberside / Dr Peter Carter
05/09/09 - 16/09/09 / Cut NHS staff by 137,000 – report / Scarborough Evening News; Metro Yorkshire; Sheffield Star / Dr Peter Carter
17/09/09 / New NHS firm is best option / Hull Daily Mail / RCN referenced
28/09/09 / What do you remember of your school nurse? / BBC Radio Sheffield / Joy Winks, RCN member
15/10/09 / Nurses carry clinical waste / Huddersfield Examiner / Andy Law, RCN Assistant Officer
21/10/09 / NHS staff cost £1.5m in private healthcare / Metro Yorkshire / Dr Peter Carter
21/10/09 / Shortage of nurses ‘may affect care’ / Telegraph and Argus / RCN referenced
21/10/09 / Swine flu vaccination programme begins / BBC Radio Leeds; BBC Radio York / Kevin Austerberry , Director, RCN Yorkshire & the Humber Region
England regions – parliamentary and political activity