ANNA FLYNN Executive Director, Australian Centre for Value-Based Health Care
“A strategic communications manager brings an impartial element to crisis talks.”
The importance of strategic communication leadership in healthcare
Communication and COVID-19
type of messaging. It requires communication
One of the things that has struck me frequently
leaders with established relationships across all
during the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic
levels of government and access to subject matter
is the way it has been communicated both
experts, as well as the ability to translate complex
internationally, and specifically in Australia. With a
information into plain understandable messages for
background in communication management myself,
the audience—in this case the entire nation. Most
I can’t help but think about the wealth of do’s and
importantly it requires trust—the trust of other
don’ts we are creating for future communication
senior leaders in the communication leader to do
leaders to draw on when aiming to provide clear
their job.
messaging—especially about health issues.
For me, a prime example of a ‘don’t’ was the
As COVID-19 continues to play out in Australia, we
messaging around hairdressing in one of the first
can clearly see that effective healthcare messaging
press conferences held by the Prime Minister and
is vital, and in my opinion, this was initially a
the Chief Medical Officer at the end of March. The
struggle. Governments are used to working with
image presented of a hairdresser being timed to
media managers that can turn a story around to fit
give a 30-minute haircut and to also practice social
with the political agenda or government staffers
distancing seemed absurd in so many ways that
that can respond to questions with well-crafted
I think the general public were left anxious and
pre-approved responses. However, the response
confused about whether the government really
to COVID-19 required and still requires a different
had this in hand. The next day almost led to a
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The Health Advocate • MAY 2020
