MEDIA ACTIVITY REPORT August 2013 This report outlines media activity and the work of the Trust s Press Office for August 2013. Throughout the month of August, the Press Office received approximately 154 media enquiries. In addition we issued 17 reactive press statements in response to media enquiries, and issued four pro-active press releases. The number of online media articles in which the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust featured was 76: Out of hours, the on call Press Officers dealt with 22 enquiries throughout the month. Overview of Activity Reactive Press Statements: October 2012 vehicle fires Three statements were issued to the Sunday Post, Chester Chronicle, Oldham Chronicle as a result of an FOI that was raised in May 13 by the Sunday Post regarding serious untoward incidents. National sickness figures A statement was issued to the Sunday Post regarding NWAS sickness on the back of NHS England releasing national sickness statistics. Salary bandings A statement was issued to the Evening Post regarding the review of the Heads of Service Salary bandings last financial year. Recruitment A statement was issued to the Evening Post regarding the planned recruitment of a Trust Chief Executive. Monitor Announcement A statement was issued to the in response to Monitors FT announcement. Vascular Clinical Advisory Group A statement was issued to the regarding the transfer of patients requiring arterial treatment in. Performance Times A statement was issued to the regarding R1 and R2 performance in for the last quarter on the back of Pendle Council s meeting at which we regularly provide quarterly performance figures.. Road works A statement was issued to the Westmorland Gazette regarding road works in Cumbria Patient complaint about an ambulance delay A statement was issued to the Stockport Express after a patient s relative complained to the paper about a delay after her elderly father fell out of bed in a nursing home and our response was two and a half hours. Increase in complaints A statement was issued to the Wigan Evening Post regarding the increase in complaints the Trust receives on the back of NHS England releasing national figures. Performance A statement was issued to Pulse magazine regarding August s Board Papers The Board had considered the potential impact of 111 on R1 performance. Resource A statement was issued to the responding to their enquiry regarding Paramedics on all operational vehicles. Our response included: Currently it is not a national requirement however as an organisation we strive to have paramedics on all vehicles and are actively recruiting paramedics. Theft at Ramsbottom Station Two statements were issued to Bury Times and the regarding the theft of two staff members cars Patient wait A statement was issued to the Stockport Express regarding a patient wait for an ambulance. Patient wait A statement was issued to the Wirral Globe regarding a patient who complained after waiting for an ambulance. Trust Car Leasing Policy A statement was issued to the Sunday People regarding the Trust s car leasing policy as a result of an FOI raised in May 13.
If you would like any further information about the above statements, please contact the Press Office. Proactive Press Releases: Great Grandmother re-united with crew that saved her life We issued a Press Release to the Bolton News about a patient who was brought back to life after suffering a cardiac arrest in October last year. Police save man s life with NWAS defibrillator We issued a Press Release to the Evening Post after an NWAS defibrillator that had been installed as part of the Trust s initiative to install defibrillators in patrol cars was used. Back to School with a Defib We issued a press release to the Accrington Observer and regarding the Trust s initiative with ASDA and charity Pumping Marvellous. NWAS to attend Manchester Pride We issued a Press Release to the Manchester Evening News promoting NWAS involvement at PRIDE. Key activities in August: Ride-out with Bolton News A Press Officer accompanied the Bolton News Health Reporter and a crew based at Highfield Station on a night shift in Bolton. Press meeting with the Liverpool Echo The Acting Senior Communications Manager met with the Health Reporter and News Editor to discuss a recent publishing of patient complaint stories, upcoming positive news stories and pipeline Trust initiatives. The number of online media articles in which the North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust featured during August was 75: Focus Area breakdown: Greater Manchester - 15 Cumbria & - 26 Cheshire & Merseyside - 17 17 Article focus (print only) NWAS as the main focus: 28 NWAS as a contributor: 47 Top 5 publications featuring NWAS the most: 1. : 12 2. Evening Post: 6 3. Bolton News: 4 4. North West Evening Mail: 4 5. Liverpool Echo: 3 Top 5 most prominent articles (NWAS as main focus): Publication Headline Word Tone Generated from Count Evening Post Police save man s life with defibrillator 702 Positive Press Release Evening Post pay rise row goes on 627 Negative Follow up enquiry from end of last year Sunday Post Health bosses being forced to spend 515 replacing a feet of ambulance engines after a string of dramatic fires 444 Negative Enquiry from FOI
Manchester Gazette Wirral Globe Evaluation of Coverage NWAS gains recognition for investment for health and wellbeing Complaint lodged with ambulance service after 87 year old Wirral woman waited three hours for an ambulance 401 Positive Press Release 392 Negative Enquiry after a reader complained to the press Strategic Topic evaluation of articles and how they relate to the wheel Communities: Aiming for Safe & Healthier Communities: 4 Engaging with the public: 1 Infrastructure: A well-managed organisation: 8 Quality of care: Delivering care safely: 48 Achieving the best clinical outcomes: 1 Staff: Promoting learning and Development: 2 Shaping and delivering our workforce: 2 Value for money: Sound financial management: 6 Using available resources effectively: 3 Tone of media articles Positive: 16 Neutral: 54 Negative: 5 Key to note (Mainly determined by the choice of language used in the article) Positive: coverage which highlights the positive work of the Trust including NWAS staff and initiatives - usually proactive PR including press releases and interviews with staff. Neutral: coverage which mentions NWAS and is neither positive nor negative - usually includes factual information supplied by the press team about incidents the Trust has attended. Negative: coverage which mentions the Trust in a negative light this may include patient complaints. Social Media As at the end of August 2013, the Trust s Twitter account had 10, 063 followers. The key themes for tweets were: The Trust s AGM and Health Fair NWAS public conversation surveys
Liverpool Pride Manchester PRIDE Emergency Services Open Day at the Trafford Centre Compliments for staff NWAS initiative to install defibrillators in police patrol vehicles Creamfields safety messages Bolton News ride out GCSE results safety messages and national helpline Health and Wellbeing Award Joint agency working Back to School with a defib At the end of July we had 2,390 likes on the Trust s Facebook page. The following subjects/links were posted: The Trust s AGM and Health Fair NWAS public conversation surveys Liverpool Pride Manchester PRIDE Emergency Services Open Day at the Trafford Centre Health and Wellbeing Award
DATE PUBLICATION NATIONAL / REGIONAL HEADLINE WORD COUNT TONE MAIN/ CONTRIBUTED STRATEGIC TOPIC STRATEGIC AREA 01/08/2013 Chester Chronicle Ambulance service to improve 999 response 321 Neutral Main Quality of Care Delivering Care safely 01/08/2013 Wigan Today NHS vows to tackle sick days rise 421 Neutral Contributed Staff Shaping and delivering our workforce 02/08/2013 Bolton News Son thanks North West Ambulance Service for helping bee sting mum 328 Positive Main Quality of Care Delivering Care safely 02/08/2013 Evening Post ambulance service will try again for Foundation Trust status 261 Neutral Main Infrastructure A well-managed organisation 02/08/2013 Westmorland Gazette Lindal- in-furness road re-opens after crash 143 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely 03/08/2013 Manchester Evening News Cyclist dies after collision with car in Mancunian way area of Manchester 176 Neutral Contributed Quality of Care Delivering Care Safely
04/08/2013 Sunday Post 05/08/2013 In-Cumbria Health bosses are being forced to spend 515,000 replacing a fleet of ambulance engines after a string of dramatic fires. Engines in all Cumbria's ambulances being replaced after fires 444 Neutral Main Quality of Care Delivering Care Safely 352 Neutral Main Quality of Care Delivering Care Safely 07/08/2013 North West Evening Mail Mums ambulance fire drama sparks 515k engine upgrade mission in Cumbria 315 Neutral Main Quality of Care Delivering Care Safely 07/08/2013 North West Ambulance Service fails in bid for Trust status 150 Neutral Main Infrastructure A well-managed organisation 07/08/2013 East ambulance chiefs hold staffing talks 112 Positive Main Infrastructure A well-managed organisation 08/08/2013 Bolton News Woman and baby injured as car flips over in Chorley New road 160 Neutral Contributed Quality of Care Delivering care safely 08/08/2013 Champion Newspapers 24 hour defib added in High town 270 Positive Main Communities Aiming for safe and healthy communities
08/08/2013 Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News NHS bosses allay 111 helpline fears 391 Neutral Contributed Infrastructure A well-managed organisation 08/08/2013 Garstang Courier Thanks for helping keep the memory of Adam alive 765 Positive Contributed Communities Aiming for safe and healthy communities 08/08/2013 Wigan Evening Post Taxpayers forking out for luxury cars 371 Negative Main Value for money Sound financial management 08/08/2013 Evening Post Ambulance Service in car scheme for bosses 312 Neutral Main Value for money Sound financial management 08/08/2013 Liverpool Echo Worker dies in building site tragedy 472 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely 09/08/2013 ambulance bosses accused of being tactless over luxury cars 382 Neutral Main Value for money Sound financial management 09/08/2013 Halifax Courier Halifax cyclist rescued from river 341 Positive Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely 10/08/2013 The Visitor Injured man flown to hospital 110 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely
11/08/2013 Wigan Evening Post Women's hand is savaged by dog 663 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering Care Safely 12/08/2013 Construction Enquirer Worker killed on Redrow housing job 207 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering Care Safely 12/08/2013 Warrington Guardian Ambulance Service to be drafted in for 111 cover 305 Neutral Main Infrastructure A well-managed organisation 13/08/2013 Rochdale Online NWAS gains recognition 208 Positive Main Staff Promoting learning and development 13/08/2013 North West Evening Mail Little girl airlifted to hospital after being kicked by horse in Cumbria 111 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely 13/08/2013 Manchester Gazette North West Ambulance Service gains recognition for investment in health and wellbeing 401 Positive Main Staff Promoting learning and development 14/08/2013 Warrington Guardian Ambulance Service to be drafted in for 111 cover 305 Positive Main Infrastructure A well-managed organisation 14/08/2013 North West Ambulance Service advertises for Chief Executive 100 Neutral Main Infrastructure A well-managed organisation
14/08/2013 Grough Magazine Praise for granddad who crawled from Lake District fells 310 Positive Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely 15/08/2013 Chester Chronicle Ambulance engines replaced after fires 314 Neutral Main Quality of care Delivering care safely 15/08/2013 Family of Ramsbottom girl who was rescued from embankment praise emergency services 194 Positive Main Quality of Care Delivering care safely 15/08/2013 Messenger Stretford and Urmston MP attends 999 day 190 Positive Contributed Communities Aiming for safe and healthy communities 16/08/2013 Daily Mail National BBC journalist posts spy camera that looks like a bomb to Salford HQ and sparks 14,000 terror alert over suspicious packet 963 Neutral Contributed Value for money Using available resources effectively 16/08/2013 MEN BBC slammed after bomb blunder at Media City sparks terror alert 475 Neutral Contributed Value for money Using available resources effectively 16/08/2013 The BBC is asked to foot bill for causing 14k bomb scare 651 Neutral Contributed Value for money Using available resource effectively
17/08/2013 Driver taken to hospital after accident in Blackburn town centre 387 Neutral Contributed Quality of Care Delivering care safely 18/08/2013 Liverpool Echo Police investigate after man found with serious head injuries 357 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely 18/08/2013 Bayou Buzz website Rider dies in horse trial incidents 321 Neutral Contributed Quality of Care Delivering care safely 19/08/2013 Lancaster Guardian transfer target 'challenging but achievable' 194 Positive Main Quality of care Delivering care safely 19/08/2013 Sky News National Tom Gadsby dies at Somerford Park Horse trials 418 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely 19/08/2013 Horsetalk.co.nz (New Zealand website) National NZ Eventer killed on British crosscountry 525 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering Care Safely 20/08/2013 Evening Post Underwater search for man missing in river 375 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely 20/08/2013 999 crews in Nelson canal fall rescue 272 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely 20/08/2013 Manchester Evening News Fire Crews battle to stop spread of large blaze in Littleborough Rochdale 312 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely
20/08/2013 Rochdale Observer Fire on Ebor street Littleborough 246 Neutral Contributed Quality of Care Delivering Care Safely 21/08/2013 Crewe Chronicle North West Ambulance Service engines replaced after fires 316 Neutral Main Quality of Care Delivering care safely 21/08/2013 Evening Post pay rise row goes on 627 Negative Main Value for money Sound financial management 22/08/2013 Runcorn and Widnes Weekly News North West Ambulance Service engines replaced after fires 300 Neutral Contributed Quality of Care Delivering Care Safely 22/08/2013 North West Evening Mail patient airlifted to hospital following crash on A595 in Cumbria 93 Neutral Contributed Quality of Care Delivering care safely 22.08/2013 Liverpool Echo Woman killed by train on commuter line to Liverpool 160 Neutral Contributed Quality of Care Delivering Care Safely 22/08/2013 Crosby Herald lorry overturns on busy seaforth roundabout 214 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely
23/08/2013 Lancaster Guardian River Lune rescue drama: man swept 2 miles down downstream after boat fall 308 Neutral Contributed Quality of Care Delivering Care safely 23/08/2013 Cumberland and Westmorland Herald Cyclist airlifted to hospital after Keswick crash 67 Neutral Contributed Quality of Care Delivering Care Safely 23/08/2013 Anger at pay rises for North West Ambulance Service staff 192 Negative Main Value for money Sound financial management 24/08/2013 Mountain Rescue Team called to help seriously hurt motorcyclist at Cliviger 269 Neutral Contributed Quality of Care Delivering care safely 24/08/2013 Woman airlifted to hospital from Brierfield 250 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely 24/08/2013 Gay star news National Manchester salutes gay friend in St Petersburg at pride parade 504 Positive Contributed Communities Promoting and valuing diversity 25/08/2013 Mirror National NHS trust spends more than 50,000 per year on posh company cars for 168 members of staff 260 Negative Main Value for money Sound financial management
25/08/2013 Bolton News Body found on rail line 104 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely 26/08/2013 Evening Post Police save man's life with defibrillator 702 Neutral Main Quality of Care Achieving the best clinical outcomes 27/08/2013 North West Evening Mail Teenager suffers serious head injury after fall from bike in South Cumbria 109 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely 27/08/2013 Two patients in North West have long wait for ambulance 110 Neutral Main Quality of care Delivering care safely 27/08/2013 Southport Visitor Woman 63, struck and killed by train at Birkdale crossing 342 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely 27/08/2013 This is Four injured and residents warned to stay inside after chemical leak 414 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely 27/08/2013 News and Star Mountain Rescue Team called after teen breaks arm in tree fall 121 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely
27/08/2013 North West Ambulance Service encourages debate about the future of the NHS 96 Positive Main Infrastructure A well-managed organisation 28/08/2013 News and Star Cyclist taken to hospital with lifethreatening injuries 163 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely 29/08/2013 Wirral Globe Complaint lodged with ambulance service after 87 year old Wirral women waited three hours for an ambulance 392 Negative Main Quality of Care Delivering care safely 29/08/2013 The Bolton News Rescue boat and field gun highlight Wigan borough emergency awareness 265 Positive Contributed Communities Engaging with the public 29/08/2013 This is Cheshire Cyclist taken to hospital after fall in Stockton Heath 99 Neutral Contributed Quality of Care Delivering care safely 30/08/2013 Bolton News Bolton Mountain Rescue Team given life-saving defibrillator by cardiac support group 343 Positive Contributed Communities Aiming for safe and healthy communities 30/08/2013 Evening Post Knife drama near Skerton High School 277 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely 31/08/2013 Lancaster Guardian Flat fire sparks chip pan fire 426 Neutral Contributed Quality of Care Delivering care safely
31/08/2013 News and Star Woman flown to Newcastle Hospital after car plunges 500ft into valley 192 Neutral Contributed Quality of care Delivering care safely