The Healthcare Communications Association (HCA) is today launching ‘The HCA Good Practice Guide on Working with the Media'.  The online tool has been designed to help HCA members address the questions and practical issues that arise during everyday media activities. 

The HCA recognises the importance of ensuring the highest standards are maintained amongst healthcare communications professionals.  Following the launch of the revised Code of Practice of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI), HCA members indicated that there was a particular need for clarification and practical guidance on areas specific to working with the media. 

Neil McCrae, head of UK Corporate Affairs for GSK's pharmaceuticals business and chair of the HCA Standards Sub-Committee, commented “As the pharmaceutical industry has come under increased scrutiny in recent years there has been a growing recognition of the need to establish a benchmark for good practice in healthcare communications. With the launch of the HCA Good Practice Guide we have made an important step towards providing practical and up-to-date advice for members of the HCA.”

The Good Practice Guide has been designed as a point of reference for HCA members and pulls together sections of relevant codes, whilst providing specific HCA recommendations on the implications for various different types of media-related activities.  It also provides links to relevant rulings by the Prescription Medicines Code of Practice Authority (PMCPA). 

Nigel Brooksby, ABPI President, comments “The ABPI welcomes this initiative.  The online Good Practice Guide is a flexible and user-friendly tool which will serve to support and protect the reputation of the pharmaceutical industry and help to maintain confidence in industry self-regulation.”  

The HCA Good Practice Guide on Working with the Media is supported by training modules.  Whilst the initial focus is on working with the media, new areas of guidance will be added as required.

Getting started...

As a member, the Good Practice Guide is available to all staff who register on the website: www.hca-uk.org.  For new visitors to the HCA website, registration only takes a few seconds - all you need to do is click on the 'REGISTER NOW' button next to 'Member Log In' on the home page, and select your company from the drop down list and provide your name and email address.

If you have already registered with the HCA website, then simply log in with your email address and password.

Once in the members-only section, click on the 'HCA Good Practice Guide' button on the left hand navigation bar.