ABSTRACT
This case study demonstrates the crucial importance of incorporating political and media engagement as part of a health and social care company's communications mix. It concludes that, by focusing solely on marketing and internal communications, there is a real risk of failing to engage with wider external stakeholder groups (including politicians and the media) key to the organisation's reputation and therefore its future business prospects. In fact, excessive navel gazing could be the result.
Public Affairs fulfils that wider vital role by proactively pre-empting issues on the horizon and by advocating thought leadership roles for Board level directors to pursue - putting the organisation on the front foot especially during difficult and turbulent economic and social conditions.
