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The latest public sector news, opinion and features.
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News and news analysis
Exclusive: Government Communications Plan - Brexit the biggest priority amid surge in campaigns
The Government is to mount more than 160 campaigns in the coming year, with a particular focus on tackling disinformation and promoting Britain's place in the world, outlined in its annual comms plan for 2019-20, published today.
Exclusive: Government to train public sector comms troops for battle in escalating disinformation war
Whitehall is to train comms professionals across the public sector to combat disinformation after the executive director of the Government Communications Service, Alex Aiken, warned that the problem poses a growing threat to democracy.
State Of The Profession Report: public sector comms can harm your mental health
Comms professionals in the public sector are bearing the brunt of what the CIPR's latest 'State of the Profession' report calls an "epidemic" of mental ill-health.
HM Treasury first as it appoints department 'outsider' to key comms role
The Treasury has appointed Foreign and Commonwealth Office stalwart Olaf Henricson-Bell as its head of comms and press secretary to the Chancellor, Phillip Hammond.
Murder victim inspires Silent Solution campaign to save lives
The tragic fate of a terrified woman who mistakenly thought making a silent 999 call would be enough to save her life is being used as a cautionary tale in a police campaign launched this week.
Smoke signals as Roberts leaves fire service for hospital role
Sarah Roberts has been appointed head of digital comms at Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH).
Council comms professionals morale at all-time low, survey warns
Amid high levels of concern over time and budget pressures, morale within local authority comms teams is falling and has reached a record low, according to a new survey for LGcomms.
Case study: Fire service 'Total Recalls' campaign led to permanent safety improvements
The three-year London Fire Brigade (LFB) campaign centred on accidental fires caused by faulty white goods, using public affairs, media relations and communications techniques, resulted in changes to safety standards and consumer advice from manufacturers, and the government setting up a new body to monitor them.
Exclusive: End of an era as GREAT director takes new government role
Conrad Bird, director of the GREAT Britain campaign, is to start a new role as director of campaigns and marketing at the Department for International Trade in a matter of weeks, PRWeek can reveal.
Europeans living in UK targeted in controversial campaign
A simple graphic depicting cups of tea is the focus of a last-minute campaign by the Home Office to encourage EU citizens living in the UK to apply for settled status in Britain.
Defra campaigns head swaps government departments with move to FCO
Lara Hallett has been appointed head of campaigns at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), PRWeek has learned.
Teething problems for police force Twitter account run by detectives
West Midlands Police opened itself up to criticism after detectives running one of its Twitter accounts used a photo of a blood-soaked operating theatre in Israel to warn people against using knives.
NHS comms manager builds on property specialism for government role
Caroline Welch has left NHS Property Services, where she was senior press and public affairs manager, to take up a new role as senior comms manager for the government's Help to Buy scheme at Homes England, a non-departmental public body.
WHO puts spotlight on Formula One and calls for enforcement of tobacco marketing bans
Governments are being urged to enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship at sporting events, amid concerns that deals with Formula One alone could result in the promotion of tobacco to more than one billion people worldwide.
Opinion and features
Bad gender pay gap headlines can't be fixed by spin doctors who don't get it
More than three quarters of firms pay men more than women, yet many (men) insist there is no such thing as the gender pay gap, arguing it is a statistical creation that allows women to feel hard done by.
Ten years on, what has PHE's Change4Life campaign achieved?
It is 10 years since Public Health England launched Change4Life, England's first healthy lifestyle brand, which famously invited families to "eat well, move more and live longer".
Never ask for copy approval - it only ruins your relationships
Asking for copy proofing or approval is just one of many random acts of stupidity that tarnish the PR industry's reputation, argues Babel PR boss Ian Hood in this strongly worded column.
'Dangerous Comms Act': Government regulation of PR industry would be unworkable
"Why is PR obsessed with being a profession?" ran a recent debate on Twitter, together with a discussion of the requirements of achieving formally recognised status.
EU Copyright Directive: We need to tame the Wild West of online activity
There has been some misplaced outcry around the European Parliament's vote to adopt the EU Copyright Directive last week.
Part-time working isn't just for parents
'Flexible and part-time working are concessions that agencies make for mums. They are detrimental to business and agencies only allow people to work in this way because they don't look very nice if they don't.'
So, you want my job? Senior media manager, Acas
PRWeek takes a sidelong look at recruitment in public sector comms. Do you fancy Shumon Ali-Rahman's job as senior media manager at Acas?
I'm a comms chief who became the CEO and you can do it, too
For nearly twenty years, I worked steadily as a communications professional and even though I was a charity comms director, I never gave becoming a chief executive a second thought. Then, I became the CEO. By accident.
How I found my new work/life balance after a life-changing experience
In May last year my wife Kate and I had just had our second (my third!) child. I'd been trying to get to a place where I was happy with my work life balance and I had finally got there.
PRWeek UK Power Book 2019: Top 10 in public sector comms
PRWeek's UK Power Book reveals the PR professionals who lead the way in their respective areas. Today, we rank the top ten in the public sector.
The 'we' culture in public sector comms
I always look forward to my annual copy of the PRWeek Power Book, to try to spot those that I know or have worked with, as well as to read about their take on work and life generally.
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Communications Officer Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education Reading, Berkshire
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Media Relations Manager Russell Group London (Greater)
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New Senior Account Executive Role! – Financial Services/Corporate Communications Premier Resourcing UK London (Greater)
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Account Director/Senior Account Director – Start up agency (Consumer) Capstone Hill Search London (Central), London (Greater)
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Senior Media Officer Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy City of Westminster, London (Greater)
Recent public sector people moves
APCO hires directors in public affairs and strategic comms
APCO Worldwide has strengthened its senior public affairs and strategic communications teams.
WE appoints digital and strategy director from Cancer Research UK
WE Communications has appointed Cancer Research UK's social lead Cecilia Dominici as its digital content and strategy director.
Pagefield appoints public affairs partner from GK Strategy
Pagefield has strengthened its public affairs practice with the appointment of Southwark Council deputy leader Rebecca Lury as a partner, PRWeek can reveal.
Bristow steps down as Public Affairs Board chair to potentially contest by-election
Paul Bristow - the Public Affairs Board chair and formerly head of the APPC - has stepped down to potentially contest the Peterborough by-election as a Conservative candidate.
Amnesty's creative force Leila Mountford joins UK agency
The driving force behind some of Amnesty International's recent creative campaigns - Leila Mountford - has joined Lewis as its creative director in the UK.
Field Consulting recruits inaugural MD from Pagefield
Field Consulting has appointed Pagefield partner Lucy Holbrook as its first managing director.
Comms chief exits NHS Digital for private sector healthcare role
Rachel Royall has left her job as comms director at NHS Digital after less than two years to join IBM as comms director at its UK healthcare and life sciences team.