Communications Assistant

Are you passionate about celebrating our NHS and staff and improving the health of local people? Can you take information and turn it into a story that captures the interest of our communities?

We are recruiting a Communications Assistant to help Hywel Dda University Health Board achieve its vision of a happier, healthier mid and west Wales.

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual who is able to work flexibly and in a high paced environment, with the ability and desire to get ‘out and about’ across our three counties. You will be an excellent communicator with experience in writing, marketing or public relations and practical skills to reach different audiences on multiple platforms.

The role will provide an opportunity to work as part of a busy communications team, supporting all aspects of local NHS delivery in our communities, health centres, hospitals and back office environments.

This will involve staff facing communications, health campaigns, planned and reactive work with the media, and working with partners to achieve common goals.

Hywel Dda University Health Board is the planner and provider of NHS healthcare services for people in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and its bordering counties.

Our 11,000 members of staff provide primary, community, in-hospital, mental health and learning disabilities services for around 384,000 people across a quarter of the landmass of Wales. We do this in partnership with our three local authorities and public, private and third sector colleagues, including our volunteers, through:
**Four main hospitals**: Bronglais General in Aberystwyth, Glangwili General in Carmarthen, Prince Philip in Llanelli and Withybush General in Haverfordwest;
**Seven community hospitals**: Amman Valley and Llandovery in Carmarthenshire; Tregaron, Aberaeron and Cardigan in Ceredigion; and Tenby and South Pembrokeshire Hospital Health and Social Care Resource Centre in Pembrokeshire;
48 general practices (four of which are managed practices), 47 dental practices (including three orthodontic), 99 community pharmacies, 44 general ophthalmic practices (43 providing Eye Health Examination Wales and 34 low vision services) and 17 domiciliary only providers and 11 health centres;
Numerous locations providing mental health and learning disabilities services;
Highly specialised and tertiary services commissioned by the Welsh Health Specialised Services Committee, a joint committee representing seven health boards across Wales.

You will be able to find a full job description and person specification attached within the supporting documents:

- Work autonomously within sign-off policies and frameworks as part of a reactive communications team within office hours. Inform and suggest appropriate communication approaches and brief staff and journalists, accordingly, using agreed key messages
- Issuing proactive staff and public communication, monitoring and responding to media and social media enquiries and stories in an open and honest way, often on sensitive and potentially contentious issues.
- Contribute to a forward look plan of proactive work/content according to annual communications plan, which delivers on organisational objectives.
- Suggest, plan, deliver, assess and adapt (within team policies and procedures) new or different communication mechanisms for continuous dialogue with staff and the local population.
- Use a full range of communication methods, depending on a given situation, to target audiences and ensure effective two-way communication, including writing content, taking basic photos, planning, shooting and editing basic videos, and basic graphic design for promotional materials.
- Contribute ideas and deliver content for communication plans as outlined in the team’s annual plan.
- Support editorial, design and proof reading for key organisational publications and other promotional materials.
- Work in accordance with Crisis Response Communications, and follow that strategy and any guidance within, in the event of an incident.

The ability to communicate in Welsh is essential for this post. If you do not meet the Welsh Language requirements specified, the Health Board offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these mínimal desirable requirements during the course of your employment with us.

Interviews are intended to be held on 09/11/22