I designed and delivered a communications strategy for MHRA’s COVID19 vaccination safety monitoring programme during an exceptional period of national crisis, as the country embarked on the biggest vaccination programme in history.
The strategy was designed to protect the public, to avoid the dissemination of misinformation in the media and to ensure transparency about emerging concerns, while maintaining relationships with powerful stakeholders, such as Downing Street, which were committed to the vaccination programme.
I created a weekly cycle of publishing information and advice, that mirrored the meetings of the Expert Committee that reviewed the latest information/advice for all audiences. Weekly, after joining their meeting, I updated internal briefing packs, including press lines, web and social platforms and importantly, decided whether proactive media engagement was required.
Here, I negotiated with the DHSC and Downing Street on these sensitive materials, which carried difficult messages at times. Some weeks, I alerted media on developments with desk-based releases and when I identified the need to alert audiences more directly, I arranged for my CEO to join the PM at his 5pm televised public briefing.
When evidence of a rare risk of harm associated with a vaccine appeared, which I knew it posed a serious risk of misreporting. I negotiated with Downing Street to host a press conference, working with senior officials to deliver sensitive messages.
Meanwhile, I also designed and delivered a proactive media plan to explain the safety monitoring of vaccines across high profile titles.
This plan was successful. Relationships with stakeholders was maintained, misinformation was curtailed and the public briefed in full about concerns via media, yet they continued to come forward for vaccination. This is a good example of strategic design, managing complex data, managing sensitive information and stakeholder relations.
