FuturePRoof, the crowdsourced publishing project founded by Sarah Hall, has shifted its focus to the NHS for its third edition. The NHS turns 70 this year and, noting both the huge affection the public hold for it and the many challenges it faces, it is a good topic for study.
As with previous editions, the contributions are varied and most readers will find a few chapters that will immediately pique their interest. Personally, I moved quickly to chapters focusing on digital communications, technology and data, before moving back through the book to read the sections on trust and brand.
Rachel Royall’s chapter titled “Doing digital” provides an insight into the type of strategic comms that most practitioners are keen to be involved in. Nicola Perrin’s “Why do we need to talk about patient data?” lays out the importance of leading public conversations about the use of data. Taking recent data scandals into account, it is a timely call for better understanding and greater transparency of how personal data is used.
Regardless of the sections you read, what is immediately obvious is that the challenges faced by the NHS are faced by almost all organisations. For example, the chapter on doing more with less will be familiar to everyone, whether in house or consultant, indeed whether in PR or not. More for less programmes seem to be a permanent feature at all organisations these days.
There is a wealth of knowledge in these pages that applies much more widely than within the NHS or even healthcare. Those in totally unrelated industries will learn much from both the broad, strategic chapters and the more detailed practical ones.
FuturePRoof: edition 3 is out today. You can learn more about the book and purchase it at futureproofingcomms.co.uk.