Why does Amicus/MHNA need public relations nationally?
Amicus/MHNA has a number of ‘audiences’ that it has to address on a daily basis, 365 days-a-year. These include: • Ministers within Department of Health, and the devolved parliament/assemblies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland • Health authorities or boards • NHS primary care trusts • its own membership (internal communications) • the general public • MPs • partners/competitors’ – RCN, UNISON, voluntary organisations • its own staff • companies that may wish to collaborate with Amicus/MHNA on projects • the media Each one of the above ‘audiences’ needs to be communicated with by the MHNA with the aim of influencing them to think about – and act on – Amicus/MHNA’s goals. Each ‘audience’ has to have a clear and distinct message, tailored to its own requirements – an individual communications strategy. Public relations is the tree under which all the activities that Amicus/MHNA stages to promote itself shelter, whether it is conferences, publications and campaigning. Media relations
