This advice is aimed at delivery partners' staff who are not authorised spokespersons when receiving calls from the press relating to a major NCS incident.

Objectives

1. Collect their details to pass on to Pharos (who will immediately pass to the RDP & NCS Trust
2. Politely get them off the phone so Pharos/the NCS Trust & RDP PR teams can be notified asap
3. Remain professional and helpful without giving any information that isn’t already public or personal opinion.

Points in general

1.   Remember, when an incident occurs, no member of staff other than those with specific responsibility to do so should provide comment or information to media

2.     If you do find yourself answering a call to a journalist, remain polite, calm and courteous at all times – never say ‘no comment’

3.     Ask for the name, role, publication name and contact details of the person calling before allowing the call to progress

4.     Ask what it is they are interested in knowing at the beginning of the call

5.     Do not give them a statement or make any personal comment as you will be speaking on behalf of your organisation and all those within the NCS structure.  Simply apologise and say you don’t have the information they need but you can put them in touch with someone who does (see below)

6.     Don’t mention the NCS Trust/RDP by name as it looks like you’re ‘outsourcing’ the problem.  Let them assume (without saying so) you’re getting someone within your own organisation to call them back by not being too specific (see below)

7.     Immediately update Pharos of any initial and subsequent contact from the press relating to an incident. Pharos will immediately inform the NCS Trust & RDP PR teams who will then agree how to proceed. Most likely they will liaise with you directly from this point with either the RDP or The NCS Trust taking the front line on all press enquiries.

Some useful phrases to help achieve the above

·       Initial deflection – “I’m afraid I’m not going to be the best person for you to speak with but if I can take a note of your name and contact details, I’ll get someone to call you right back; how urgently would you like to speak to them?”

·       Secondary (and ongoing) deflection as needed – “I’m really sorry but I am not the right person for you to speak to as I don’t have the information you need, but if I could take your details I will get the right person to call you back within the next X minutes/by X time.”

·       A courteous question to ask – “Is there a particular deadline you’re working towards?”

·       Useful for NCS Trust to know in order to help them prepare a response – “Did you have any specific questions you’d like answering?” 

·       If being pushed for answers to specific questions – “I know you’re keen to get answers as soon as possible and I want to help you achieve this but I’m afraid I simply don’t have those answers for you.  As soon as I get off the phone I will pass your message on to the right person who will call you back immediately.”

·       If asked why you can’t connect them direct – “I’m afraid I can’t put you through direct from this phone but I can assure you that they will be in touch with you in X minutes, otherwise feel free to call me back on this number and I’ll chase them up.”

If NCS Trust/RDP have already provided a statement that has been cleared for release, you can read out the current statement, offer to email it and direct them to the website where the statement will be updated. Explain that you don’t have any further information than this and therefore cannot answer any questions.  If pushed, refer to the phrases above.  Remember to still collect their name and details so you can update the Trust/RDP press lead of all press contact, even if they don’t require a call back.

Top 10 tips for successful PR handling

For NCS related Major incidents, there is considerable support provided by The NCS Trust in regard to handling the press.   However, it will considerably assist the NCS Trust PR team if you have some understanding of what they are trying to achieve so you can think about any issues and provide useful information in a timely manner.  The following top 10 tips will help you to do this and may also be useful if your organisation has a non-NCS related incident where you will not have the support of the NCS Trust. 

1.     Get the facts together so you are prepared.  Use the NCS Trust incident Q&A form

2.     Remember the key messages:                              

a.     Care & concern (for the customer)

b.     Control (what is being done about the situation)

c.     Commitment (to learning any lessons, cooperating with investigations etc)

3.     Be proactive in managing the situation – earliest possible involvement of specialist PR staff

4.     Decide appropriateness of proactively alerting the media & how to manage the media

5.     Ensure you have the right level of sign off for any communication with external stakeholders

6.     Use the internet, social media & news channels as sources of information and monitor all news

7.     Implement a press area (secure, sound-proof and away from the operational management for calls to be made/received)

8.     Remember compassion & consideration for those affected (saying ‘sorry’ isn’t an admission of guilt!)

9.     Hold regular team briefings to keep everyone in the picture – one voice

10.  The truth - and only the truth

Media phone call preparation tool

Before making or receiving a media call, it is important to plan the call.  Use this simple tool to help you