Media training for the NHS in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy

Freshwater delivered three days of bespoke media interview training, to GPs and the senior leadership team from a collaboration of NHS clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) across North West London, focussing on messaging around the local NHS response to the Grenfell Tower fire.

Freshwater was invited to deliver media interview training sessions to the collaboration of NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups’ (CCG) GPs and senior leadership team to enhance their skills during a period of increasing media requests following the tragic events of the Grenfell Tower fire.

In order for participants to achieve the maximum benefit from the sessions, Freshwater assessed the delegates’ current media experience, spotting specific areas to focus ahead of the first training session. Our awarding-winning trainers were fully briefed on key messages ahead of the session, provided by the CCG’s communications team.

Each session was designed to offer the theory behind media interactions, which included developing communication messages around the positive local NHS response to Grenfell, establishing control during challenging interviews and how to avoid common pitfalls when dealing with journalists. After discussing these and other key points, the group experienced hands-on practice via radio or television interviews, learning how to get the messages across clearly in an interview ‘conversation’.

Following the first two sessions, we received overwhelmingly positive feedback from participants which prompted the client to book in an extra session to train a greater pool of potential spokespeople. Ahead of each session, we drew on feedback from the previous one to further tailor the upcoming training to delegates’ needs – learning from the elements that went well or required greater focus.

It was realised, during the first session, that participants were facing challenging public meetings and press conferences due to the highly controversial nature of the local and national issue, with public attention snowballing. Taking this into account, the trainers then set-up scenarios to replicate challenging public meeting scenarios and hostile press conferences, posing quick-fire controversial questions to the attendees.

All practice interviews were video or audio recorded and played back to the group, providing detailed and well-judged feedback. In line with all our media interview training sessions, our award-winning trainers operate within a strict code of confidentiality, and this was imperative for these sessions due to the sensitive nature of the subject.

All three sessions received high praise from the delegates. All seven participants rated our trainers as ‘excellent’ and initial feedback from the first two sessions prompted a third session for other colleagues.

Louise Proctor, the Managing Director of NHS West London Clinical Commissioning Group, said:

“The training was the perfect mix of theory and hands-on practice, tailored specifically to our needs around a major national issue. The trainers were highly experienced and we are now much more confident in not only our exposure to media situations, but also our general public engagement.”