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EFFICIENCY


In the world of both internal and external communications in the public sector, there has been a long-term trend away from paper and towards digital and internet-based methods. But Andrew Pearce, chief executive of the Independent Print Industries Association (IPIA), explores better uses for print.


A


recent survey of public sector com- munications workers conducted by


the Institute of Internal Communication (IoIC) revealed that virtually 100% of their organisations used intranets, 90% used e-newsletters and 80% communicated through centrally-generated emails: but one in four no longer use print at all.


But Andrew Pearce, chief executive of the Independent Print Industries Association (IPIA), told us that physically mailed com- munications are more likely to make an impact on the reader: “It does have a cut- through. What we’ve noticed in the direct mail sphere is that, especially in certain de- mographics – for instance 18-25 year olds – people spend their lives online. To get a piece of mail is both surprising and delight- ful: the messages cut through.


“Now, because there’s such a lot of stuff whizzing about through email in big NHS organisations, I’m not sure how much of it ever gets read. But, certainly, to reinforce important messages, then internal docu- mentation, especially on certain key items, does I believe cut through to people.


“Then certain documentation has to run in print, such as case note folders. There was a move in some cases to go to electronic devices to capture that, but in my under- standing, the predominant form is still traditional case note folders at the end of patients’ beds that are updated all the time. It’s those things that are very important and irreplaceable.”


Cutting costs


There have been more cost-effective ways of printing springing up in recent years, as Pearce explains: “Different trusts in differ- ent areas have different requirements, but web-to-print is often a useful technique. If, as a simple example, you wanted some busi- ness cards for yourself, then the template would be set up in your brand by the print- er, and then every time you changed your phone number or qualifications or anything like that, you can go on and simply type it in yourself into the template. It would come out in the correct font, in the correct size, and you’d approve it online, which would send it to print – rather than sending it to print on the desktop printer. The printer would then print it and deliver it.”


Brand focus – one NHS


Pearce continued: “Those systems mean that everything stays on brand. In the NHS everyone thinks they’re a print buyer and everyone thinks they’re a designer, when they’re not. It can play havoc with brand perception. So, this makes sure that you can monitor the spend, but also means that anyone ordering stuff can’t drift away from the brand that’s been set.


“Because it’s web-to-print, a lot of input is done by the client themselves, which re- duces the costs. It also means a print man- ager can easily see the overall picture, and audit print usage for the whole trust, for example. At the moment, in many trusts


print usage will have grown uncontrollably as people think they need different docu- ments when often they didn’t realise one was in existence already. So, a print man- ager will go in, audit all of the documenta- tion series, look for duplicates, look for the ones that perhaps could be merged togeth- er, and then recommend that certain ones are sliced out of the mix, merged, deleted – which overall makes a saving, without los- ing efficiency. They can give that overview, which nobody else can do, or has got time to do in the organisation.”


Diversification


But many print management firms are also expanding and diversifying into document and data management more widely, as well as more innovative ventures, Pearce ex- plained: “Diversification absolutely is hap- pening. In retail, for example, print man- agers are moving into information kiosks, to help people find their way around, or if there’s a product in store they let people know what its price is. That idea could be used in a hospital: people often get lost in hospitals – there are opportunities there.


“Print managers are also moving into managing social media campaigns for clients as well. Obviously part of PR for any NHS trust is using social media – not only righting the wrongs, but reassuring people and putting their fears at rest. What some big organisations are doing is outsourcing that to print managers as well.” Cont. overleaf >


national health executive Sep/Oct 11 | 37


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