The agency recently organised a 'media think-tank' on behalf of Roche with the topic 'Cancer services at crisis point?'. Attendees would be paid £200.
Devon-based Dooley accepted an invitation and re-arranged a pre-booked train ticket to London to attend. But less than 24 hours later, she had an email from Ketchum saying: 'Unfortunately due to the popularity of this event, we have had to confirm numbers on a first-come, first-served basis and therefore are unable to confirm your attendance.'
Dooley was furious, arguing that she could hardly have confirmed her keenness to attend more rapidly.
Ketchum has since apologised over the phone, and reflects to Diary: 'We're sorry she feels she has been badly treated.
We tried to treat everyone fairly.'
Diary can only sigh that we didn't have an outside chance of bagging the £200 'honorarium payment', having not even been invited.
