On 16 July 2009 IE Health will be running the next in our series of IE Health Workshops at our Birmingham studios. Oliver Westmancott, IE Health’s Digital Services Director, is an expert in Social Media Strategy and is passionate about public/patient engagement.

As with all things IE Health, the Workshop will be characterised by plain English, pragmatic advice. The style will be very conversational, informal and interactive. All attendees will be helped to make a significant and manageable step forward from their current level of expertise.

The reason for the Workshop is that IE Health keeps hearing from NHS Web and Comms clients who are struggling to really engage with the many new and emerging Social Media opportunities. In the rush not to be left behind, some have ended up becoming ‘technology chasers’: Can you build me a blog? I think we need a Facebook app! Shouldn’t we be Twittering like everyone else?

IE Health believe that the focus should remain on serving the needs of existing and new communities through technology –not on technology chasing. We believe that strategy, not technology, should take the lead.

In the morning we’ll be looking at the big questions:

• Why social media?
• Where’s it all leading?
• How can I utilise these new tools to engage with the public, patients, NHS personnel and hard-to-reach groups?
• Can social media really encourage behavioural change in areas as diverse as breastfeeding, sexual health, smoking and infection control?
• Where should I start?

That will naturally lead us to look at best practice and to delve deeper into a few case studies. These won’t be restricted to IE Health’s work or be exclusive to the Health Sector – we’d love to include attendees’ experiments and experiences too.

In the afternoon we’ll revisit those big questions and seek to help organisations build the beginnings of a Social Media Strategy, against which they can measure plans going forward and we’ll look at a few very practical next steps.

There is no charge for the day, which includes coffee and a light lunch. Places are limited and available by reservation only.

To reserve your place email workshop@iedesign.co.uk or call Ollie Leggett on 0800 047 0807.

More detail and timings to follow closer to the day.

If you’re a complete Social Media novice and you’re simply wondering what all the fuss is about take a look at http://www.iedesign.co.uk/blog/what-is-social-media/

You may also be interested in this link to one of Oliver Westmancott’s IE Blogposts on the subject of Social Media Optimisation for not-for profit organisations: www.iedesign.co.uk/blog/social-media-optimisation-for-charities/