Ebola: the ongoing digital engagement challenge
...the nurses and assisted us in learning how best to tailor our comms. We didn’t rely on Twitter alone – you’re never going to reach all your audiences through only...
Are twitter chats really effective?
When you’re limited to 140 characters, can a twitter chat truly be an effective policy engagement tool? Based on my recent experience of a twitter chat with @wenurses, as part of our engagement around the proposed Vulnerable Older People’s Plan, …
How do you use social media in a crisis?
Here at the Department of Health, we always need to be ready in case of a health emergency. For example, last year we published our strategy for how we would communicate if there is another flu pandemic. As a part …
@dhmonitoring – what were we thinking?
On 9 May, I set up @DHmonitoring (now @DHlistening) and the response to this twitter account has been a really interesting (unintended) insight. We set up the account to follow a list of people talking about health policy and the …
Social media advice for DH staff
There are many guidelines for using social media on the web (see Online conversations and your responsibilities as a civil servant). For DH staff, below are some simple tips that the digital team would recommend you consider before using social …
Why you don’t need a social media strategy
I’m often asked about social media strategies, whether DH has one, what our Twitter/Facebook/Pinterest etc strategy is. The short answer to this is we don’t have a stand-alone social media strategy, and there is a good reason for this. The …
Digital engagement on dementia
Digital isn’t just about publishing anymore. The Department of Health (DH) digital team certainly knows that, but there are plenty of people within the department – and across government – still to be convinced of the wider benefits of digital, …
Being a real person on twitter
Two years is a long time in the digital world. So when I came to work in the Department of Health (DH) digital team after a career break of 2 years, I felt like I had a lot of catching …
The order I check things
This is a blog about how information enters my head before 9am on weekdays. My day is generally internet free until after I've had my toast and coffee. I very rarely slide to unlock while I'm still in the house …
Twitter guidance
Social media is mainstream media now. It is commonplace for influential individuals to use Twitter to share ideas, offer first-hand comment, and build networks of influence. Effective use of social media like Twitter is central to the DH digital communication …