Issues aren't always black and white (and green)

My job is all about providing accurate information, in a timely manner. It is about responding to questions and taking the opportunity to ensure BNFL's side of the story is heard.

A large part of the job is about expressing ideas and communicating concepts: BNFL is at the leading edge of science in our field, and the concept of radiation is phenomenally difficult to get across. It is my job to somehow synopsise the information into a format which is comprehensible to the general public.

I would go on the basis that if I can't understand the information I can't expect anyone else to! Reports come out which make unsubstantiated assertions about the effects of BNFL discharges and my job is to counteract that - which we can only do using scientific evidence. It is not my job to rubbish a report, but to communicate our understanding, and our position. If a report hasn't been peer-reviewed we'd feel it needs a different treatment.

One of the most frustrating things about this job is the difficulty of explaining the complexity of science. Media reports have to be very concise, so you can't afford to go into a huge amount of depth trying to explain an issue. I spend my life trying to find a way to communicate difficult information in a way which is neither patronising nor too simplistic. If we took some of the short cuts some pressure groups take, we might end up misrepresenting the truth. We have to ensure what we say is accurate and that the information is honest - my own credibility is on the line as much as the company's. About 70 per cent of the time we are responding to what we see as reports which are not an accurate representation of what is going on.

It is easy to simplify the point or to be selective with information. We have to be careful we don't fall into this trap. The essence of my role in media relations is to ensure what BNFL thinks is communicated. If people want to disagree, fine - but I'm here to ensure people have access to the facts and not just the rhetoric. After that, how people make up their own minds is fair enough. It's a stressful job. For one thing, it isn't nine-to-five. We work a shift system, staffing the office from six in the morning until seven in the evening.

But regardless of the shift I'm on, I often end up here in the office until 7 p.m. We also have to take turns on a 24-hour shift each week. It is an ever expanding area, with an increasing amount of issues to deal with. Due to the rise of electronic media and full-time news stations on radio and TV, the whole area of news has grown, and the response has to be much quicker. And BNFL is a growing company, generating more issues itself. Basically, there is more to do in less time! At the moment I'm organising an interview for a BBC Radio 4 journalist to do inside a plutonium store. He wants to discuss the future of plutonium as a fuel. I have to try to work out exactly what each journalist wants, where they are coming from and to line them up with the person most capable of answering their questions.

I'm also arranging a visit to Sellafield for four people from regional media on Ireland's south-east coast. They want to come and see the THORP facility, chat to some people and have a look at one of our transport ships. My relationship with the Irish media is no different to any other. We're quite newsworthy in Ireland and we have to ensure the media has access to our side of the story. No journalist wants to write a biased piece; it is my job to ensure they have all the facts at their disposal.

One of the worst things about this job is that you might spend a long time talking to a journalist about an issue, and what you say isn't used in the end. It just ends up being a complete waste of time - but that is something that goes with the media-relations territory. When we have a big announcement to make, we have to spend a considerable amount of time planning. The best part of this job is when a plan for a major media event comes together and everything falls into place - something which is quite rare!