Healthy Conversations

The Healthy Conversations bloggers represent various specialties that exist within the Virgo HEALTH team. Here is a word from each of us about who we are and what we do…

Angie Wiles, ‘Healthy Conversations’
(Joint CEO)
I am PR through and through, and with over 20 years in this game I have seen the industry grow and evolve beyond all expectations. However, we are seeing more changes now than ever before and the brave new media world is begging to be explored!

As a young fresh faced girl from deepest Dudley, I always wanted to read the news, but have since been satisfied by consuming news (in vast quantities) and speaking to and about the media. My friends tell me I am outspoken, so why stop when it comes to PR and industry matters that mean so much to me? This blog is the perfect opportunity.

Sarah Matthew, ‘Vantage Point’
(Joint CEO)
Having worked in the healthcare/pharmaceutical sector for over 20 years, I am pretty passionate about the value of our industry and in addition to my ‘day job’, I am current Chair of the Healthcare Communications Association.

I’ve been on both sides of the fence, in industry and in consultancy, and as a marketer at heart, I like to take a strategic perspective. Hence my main role in Virgo is to lead Virgo VANTAGE, our consultancy offering which is designed to help companies create improved alignment and thereby enhance reputational congruence for improved commercial success!

All-tolled, this gives me a lot to blog about!

Caroline Gosling, ‘PioneeR’
(Managing Director, Virgo HEALTH PR)
Earlier in 2008, we produced ‘An unhealthy paradox?’, a report  exploring the changing expectations of the pharmaceutical industry and the commercial and reputational challenges we face as a result. Feedback on the report led to more conversations, which have naturally moved to the internet. I am looking forward to taking the debate on to the next stages as we all pull together to correct misconceptions and increase understanding. I think we all have a responsibility to tackle some of the mistrust and concern that’s arisen over the years. A straight-talking Northern lass, I’m proud to work in the industry and am not afraid to stand up and say so.

Paul Archer, ‘Engaging Education’
(Business Unit Director, Health Education)
Medical education is changing. A mantra that I have heard said many times over the last decade but I have yet to see any real tangible change – just more slide kits! I’m a strong believer that pharma companies have a lot to offer healthcare professionals when it comes to educating them about how treatments and practices can benefit their patients and influence the wider approach to healthcare. However, the way that we do this has to be in dialogue with our customers rather than the monologue approach we have traditionally adopted.

I’ll be blogging on all matters ‘Med-Ed’, exploring what Web 2.0 means to healthcare professionals and the opportunities it could open up – and already has opened up – for health education.

Ed Purkis, ‘Media Matters’
(Senior Media Executive and Blog Editor)
I am a bit of a media addict and in the lucky position to spend my working life indulging this obsession! My mission is to chart the media landscape and help my colleagues navigate it successfully, with lots of media relations and strategic planning involved (beyond coffees with journalists!)

My blogging interests spread from medical media matters through to the survival of regional newspapers, the latest developments in public service broadcasting, the Digital Britain report and analysis of the most significant health stories in the press today.

Other bloggers
Guest bloggers include Katy Mortimer (Virgo Regulations), Rachel Redmond (Virgo Policy), Katharine Richardson (Virgo Public Affairs), Emily Brooks (Virgo Creativ8) and Claire Nicholson (Virgo Industry). Amy Hill and Laura Starr also contribute to the ‘Media Matters’ blog.