Stempra newsletter
INTERVIEW: Jane Gizbert - newly appointed Director of Communications at National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)
Following a seven-year spell as head of communications at the Medical Research Council (MRC), Jane Gizbert took up the post of Director of Communications at the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in September. Earlier this month she spoke to Stempra newsletter's Simon Wilde about her time at the MRC, the challenges facing NICE in the future, and her views on science communication in general.
Simon Wilde (SW) How does it feel to have left the MRC, what do you miss?
Jane Gizbert (JG) I miss the MRC - it was a fantastic place to work and I had an outstanding team. Working with a group of enthusiastic, creative and highly professional communications people was a real pleasure.
SW MRC has a good reputation with journalists and the public alike, how does the MRC achieve this?
JG There are several reasons: the MRC research is of the highest quality conducted by the best scientists in the world; the staff who manage and administer the work of the MRC are dedicated and very talented; and a bit closer to home - the communications professionals who work at the MRC are very, very good at what they do. They understand their craft, they are creative and never compromise on quality.
SW What attracted you to work for NICE?
JG NICE is doing an extremely important job. The institute has been in existence for almost ten years and attention from the media, public and opinion formers is growing as they expand their remit and play an increasingly vital role. They face a number of exciting communication challenges and I wanted to be involved.
SW Do you think that NICE has attracted good publicity?
JG It has been mixed. When an organisation is doing high-profile and important work it is bound to get lots of criticism. And there are some who will never agree with NICE's approach. I think they have done a very good job in the way they've handled themselves in the face of some very harsh criticism, especially recently. They have good spokespeople and they believe very strongly in what they are doing.
SW What are the challenges?
JG Main challenges include adapting communication approaches to the changes the Institute is facing following Lord Darzi's report in June (NHS Next Stage Review) and positioning the Institute as it enters its second decade.
SW Do you think that the majority of the public accept the need for an organisation to ration NHS treatments based on their cost effectiveness?
JG I think so, but as far as I know there hasn't been a recent survey of the public's view on this. However, we do know that the public strongly supports the NHS. They want it to work and they want it to be sustainable. And NICE is providing leadership in this area.
SW How did you get into this field?
JG I thought I wanted to be a journalist but my real love was politics and the political process. I studied politics then journalism at university and ended up going into political communications as the press secretary for the former Canadian prime minister while he was opposition leader.
He taught me a great deal about holding on to your personal beliefs in the face of difficult challenges; but the way in which he probably influenced me most was through his strongly-held view that we have a duty to make a contribution - to give something back and to help those less able to help themselves. I've tried to do that throughout my career which for the most part has been in the public sector and in health-related communication roles.
SW What do you like about the job?
JG I like the fact that NICE is helping to make the National Health Service one of the best health care systems in the world.
SW What is the most important thing that you have learnt over the years?
JG Do what you believe is right and don't be afraid to defend your decisions.
SW What would you say to someone who wants to start working in this field?
JG Have a sense of humour and try to maintain your creativity.
SW What are the big challenges with communicating health issues to the public?
JG There is a huge appetite for information on health topics but I think it's our job as health and science communicators to try to make sure this information is presented responsibly and accurately (MRC and NICE are both very good at that).
SW Is the science communication community doing a good job?
JG Yes I think the community is doing a good job under fairly difficult circumstances - presenting complicated science stories in an accessible way; encouraging busy scientists to participate in public engagement activities; making basic science interesting.
SW How do you think this field has changed over the last 5-10 years?
JG It seems to me that more communications people are working together on important issues of common interest. And this has created a real force for change. The Coalition for Medical Progress is a good example. Communications people, professionals from industry, charities, and public sector came together to raise awareness about animals in research and the organisation has made a real difference.
|
