Inviting a VIP, such as a politician, to your service is an excellent way of promoting the profession
You can show the VIP what a difference occupational therapy makes through organising demonstrations, arranging meetings with service users and carers and, in the process, you can attract media coverage.
You need to consider the messages you want to convey, which will depend on the interest of the VIP. For example, a politician may be interested in broad strategic health and social care matters and funding, whereas a commissioner of services (including your organisation’s chief executive), will be interested in how to allocate funds and decide priorities for health and social care services.
Messages
Advice on hosting an event
If you are in a hospital setting, you may want to show how a care plan is created, or if you are in social care, you may prefer to arrange a visit to a home where new equipment is being installed. Here are some tips that may help you organise a visit from a VIP:
Remember, don’t use the visit to air your concerns or talk about problems that you may be facing in your service. Make this visit a pleasurable experience for your VIP. You can always follow up the visit with a letter where you can specify issues you are facing.
Don’t forget to invite the local press
If the press are not able to attend your event, make sure you write a press release and take photos that you can send to the local media. Don’t forget to include local community websites in your distribution, and also send the information about the visit to your in-house magazine.
Writing to VIPs
If you are unable to organise an event, you can still influence politicians and other stakeholders by writing to them. Politicians are more likely to take notice of letters written by their constituent members, particularly as a general election is looming.
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