HealthCommsPlus

If you would like to discuss this further, please email us or contact Daniel Reynolds.

Impactful campaigns start with clarity on purpose, audience and the change you want to achieve. 

Whether you are seeking to raise awareness of an issue, change behaviours or bring about a change in policy, we will work with you to design and deliver the most effective campaign strategy that meets your needs.

We have experience of designing and delivering campaigns, whether on behalf of the NHS Confederation, a coalition of partners or on behalf of clients such as government or arm's-length bodies. 

For example, for over a decade we ran the national campaign to encourage uptake of the flu vaccine among NHS staff. The campaign provided communications toolkits, including messaging scripts and assets for social media, which local NHS organisations used in their communications.

We will work with you to:

• identify and agree your campaign objectives and desired impact
• take an insight and data-driven approach to understand the needs of your audiences 
• clarify what success looks like and build in the right evaluation metrics from the outset 
• develop and test campaign messages that cut through
• identify the channels, create the collateral and develop the right tactics that enable you to socialise your campaign most effectively with your target audiences.

Taking an insight-driven approach, we work with your in-house team to deliver integrated communications campaigns that meet your needs.

If you would like to discuss this further, please email us or contact Daniel Reynolds.

We like to think of ourselves as an extension of your in-house team and can support teams to build their capacity and capabilities through structured support and training. 

We have significant experience of conducting audits and reviews of communications strategies, operating models and functions. That is often a useful starting point to help you understand where your gaps and areas for development are. 

If you are looking for help in more specific areas of communications practice, then we provide a range of support including:

• Creative services – we provide best practice training on how to improve the quality of your editorial and production, design, digital, and audio and video activities.  
• Social media – we run workshops to help you maximise your engagement, reach and impact across your social media channels.  
• Media training – we are one of the leading national commentators in the media and regularly train and support our own NHS Confederation spokespeople – we use that expertise to provide media training to our members and partners. 
• Marketing – creating and delivering high quality marketing materials and tactics that cut through
• AI – how to effectively incorporate AI into your team’s communications workflow (see more details). 

If you would like to discuss this further, please email us or contact Daniel Reynolds.

In an attention economy, creative content is what cuts through. From powerful podcasts and vivid videos, to gripping graphics and punchy publications, content that stands out hits the mark.

Our team of experts – spanning audio, video, graphic design and editorial – are here to support you. We work with you from initial concept to final output to create content that resonates with the audiences that matter most.

But we don’t stop there – we’re on hand to build your team’s capability. If you’re looking to boost in-house video and podcast production skills, our broadcast specialists are the creative trainers you need.  

Our support includes:

• Video production – we produce captivating videos that bring your stories to life.
• Podcast production – we develop enticing podcasts that draw an audience, position your brand and extend your reach.
• Motion graphics – we create animated videos that grab attention and leave a lasting impression.
• Graphic design and typesetting – we bring creative flair, designing visually engaging content, such as infographics, reports and toolkits. 
• Editorial – we bring clarity and focus to your copy, keeping the reader in mind and supporting you to achieve your goals.
• Capability building – we turn you into pros, equipping you with tips and tools to turn your hand to video and podcast production. 

If you would like to discuss this further, please email us or contact Joy Okunnu.

We can help you to achieve positive change on behalf of your audiences by informing and influencing national policy developments and helping you to build strategic relationships where they are needed most. 

We do this by delivering specialist public affairs services, covering government relations, political and parliamentary engagement, and stakeholder management. 

Our team has strong experience from across government and the political spectrum, with an in-depth understanding of, and connections with, the major political parties, both nationally and regionally, as well as with policymakers and their surrounding influencers. These include civil service departments, mayoral offices, regulators, charities, think tanks, trade unions and other professional bodies.

Our services include:

• Public affairs strategy: We can create tailored strategies and campaigns that match your influencing and engagement goals. Our team monitors parliamentary, political and broader external developments, identifies opportunities to influence, and then develops plans that can help shape the policy outcomes you want.
• Political and parliamentary engagement: We can help you with your direct engagement with government officials, advisers, MPs, peers and external organisations. This includes by arranging meetings, drafting official correspondence, preparing parliamentary briefings, responding to government consultations, and providing strategic advice to your senior leaders to ensure your organisation’s interests can be communicated effectively at the highest levels.

As part of this, we are skilled at organising fringe events and other engagements across the party conferences and in parliament, as well as in managing engagement with parliamentary select committees, including submitting evidence to inquiries and preparing your spokespeople ahead of oral evidence sessions.

• Stakeholder mapping and engagement: We carry out detailed stakeholder mapping using industry-standard models to identify influential individuals and organisations who you should engage with. As part of this, we also continuously monitor the external environment, providing you with timely updates and insights. 

If you would like to discuss this further, please email us or contact Paul Cooney.

Organisations need strong marketing functions to promote services, products and events to their target audiences. 

We have extensive experience in building marketing campaigns and promoting a wide range of products and services across different channels. 

We can work with you to help your organisation:

• Develop marketing strategies to help you reach your audiences. 
• Create key audience insights, whether through running surveys or organising focus groups.
• Create regular marketing products for your audiences, such as bulletins or other communications.
• Work with you to promote specific events or conferences to help you achieve your objectives.

We can support in-house teams through training and development, or work with you on specific programmes or pieces of work. 

We’re at our best when we work as an extension of your team and can take a lead or supporting role depending on your in-house capacity and expertise.  

If you would like to discuss this further, please email us or contact Sarah Miller.

We are at the forefront of supporting NHS communications professionals to take advantage of the opportunities offered by AI, as well as how to mitigate the risks.

The NHS Communications AI Taskforce is delivered in partnership with The NHS Alliance's communications team, which in turn leads HealthCommsPlus’ AI work.

We are involved in several initiatives, including supporting the development of:

• A National Operating Framework: This will develop comprehensive guidance that defines goals, priorities and standards for AI use in NHS communications.
• NHS Communications AI Network: We have set up a collaborative network where professionals can share insights and approaches to improve AI-enabled communications. The network launches in late June 2025 and will meet quarterly. 
• Other developments include the creation of an Ethics Framework, an Innovation and Training Hub and a Monitoring and Evaluation System. We will be taking forward a training programme to support NHS communications professionals in summer/autumn 2025.

We are here to support in-house teams to incorporate AI into their communications activities and workflows, through identifying the best use cases and tools that can enhance performance and deliver efficiencies. 

If you would like to discuss this further, please email us or contact Daniel Reynolds.

Further information about this and other ways in which we support NHS communications professionals can be found on The NHS Alliance's website.

John leads the teams that deliver all the Confederation’s events, commercial engagement, commercial marketing and our venue in Leeds, Horizon. John is also the project director for NHS ConfedExpo.

The Associate programme is a key part of his role, and John chairs the series of InFocus virtual events that helps you to engage with our senior team, understand the key issues affecting our members and learn more about how you can support and represent NHS leaders.

John has 25 years’ experience working in membership bodies, including nine years at the NHS Confederation from 2002 to 2011, as Head of Membership and subsequently Director of Member Services. He has also held senior roles at the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, NHS Providers, The Law Society of England & Wales, the Global Law Summit, AXELOS Global Best Practice and a technology consultancy working with membership bodies and charities.

Sarah is assistant director of communications and leads the NHS Confederation’s member and EDI communications function. Formerly head of press and public affairs at the Charity Commission, she has worked for several charities, including Macmillan Cancer Support, Citizens Advice and The Salvation Army.

Paul is assistant director of communications and leads the NHS Confederation’s profiling and influencing strategy across media relations and public affairs. With nearly two decades of experience in communications, including running the press offices of major national bodies, Paul is highly skilled at profile development, stakeholder management, and crisis communications, and has an in-depth understanding of the health policy landscape.

Joy is the NHS Confederation's head of content and leads the organisation’s brand and creative services. A Chartered PR practitioner with more than 15 years’ experience in the health sector, and a post-graduate degree in healthcare communications, she manages a team of specialists across editorial, design, AV and digital communications.

An experienced communications professional, Ros is head of external affairs (public affairs) at the NHS Confederation. Ros’ time working in parliament and leading communications teams at NHS Property Services and 2020health has equipped her to design highly successful political influencing strategies and has left her with an excellent network of cross-party contacts.

Carrie-Ann is a former NHS communications director with more than 20 years’ experience. She has held a number of senior leadership roles, including director of communications and engagement and charity at North East London NHS Foundation Trust and associate director of communications and engagement at East London NHS Foundation Trust.

Rory Hegarty is a senior communications and community engagement specialist with over 30 years’ communications experience, including 20 years at a senior level in the NHS. Over the last ten years, Rory has led service change programmes in three London regions, working closely with residents, communities and partner organisations to develop best practice approaches to public involvement and participation. 

Rory is a skilled strategic adviser and communicator who helps organisations:

• design and implement effective community engagement strategies, including with seldom-heard groups
• develop clear, honest and culturally sensitive messaging
• build trust among residents, staff and communities that are traditionally underserved or disengaged
• evaluate communications through an outcomes-based lens (such as behaviour change, service access and health equity).

He is currently executive director of communications and involvement at NHS North West London and has previously led communications for Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, West London NHS Trust, Healthcare for London and Carers UK.

Victoria is a director of communications with more than 20 years’ experience. Victoria has held a number of senior leadership roles, including director of communications and engagement at Royal Berkshire Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. She has also worked at the NHS Trust Development Authority, NHS Providers and the National Association of Primary Care.

Leanne is assistant director of events and operations at the NHS Confederation, with nearly 20 years’ experience in the events industry. Delivering more than 100 events a year, including the UK health sector’s largest conference and exhibition, NHS ConfedExpo, Leanne has developed an excellent reputation for delivering high-quality events in the UK and abroad.

Chloe is head of EDI communications for the NHS Confederation. She is a member of the Taskforce for Diversity in NHS Communications launched by NHS Confederation and NHS Providers in response to concern over a lack of diversity in the NHS communications profession.

She is a values-driven communications and marketing professional with over ten years’ experience in the healthcare sector, having previously been a member of the Royal College of Nursing’s campaigns team.

Her areas of expertise include stakeholder engagement, membership mobilisation and campaigning, policy communications and influencing at national level. 

Chloe has led the NHS Confederation’s strategic approach to championing work to tackle inequality in the NHS, addressing popular misconceptions on the role of EDI in the health service and championing an evidence-based discussion of EDI and health inequalities in the external environment.

Helen has a wealth of communications experience and is head of external affairs (media) at the NHS Confederation. 

Previous roles at ZPB Associates driving client owned and earned media strategies, in the renowned Royal Free Hospital Foundation Trust communications team and her years of experience as a health policy journalist including at Health Service Journal, mean that she is well-known for developing and delivering cut-through media campaigns and generating excellent coverage. 

She has worked closely with numerous clients to help hone and build in-house comms media expertise, internal communications strategies and stakeholder portfolios. She also has in-depth experience in working in crisis communications for NHS organisations. 

Jim Palmer has been an integral part of the NHS Confederation since 2018, leading the member communications team with a focus on delivering seamless and impactful communications. His role involves ensuring that the quality and diversity of the NHS Confederation's networks and their members are effectively showcased through purposeful outputs.

In addition, Jim serves as the communications lead for the Community Network, hosted with NHS Providers. He also spearheads communications and marketing efforts for The Evolve Collaborative, a nationwide membership offer aimed at improving patient outcomes through data-driven strategies.

Jim brings a wealth of experience in external affairs and editorial work, having previously worked as a journalist and editor.

Aisling is video and podcast manager and co-leads audio/visual production at the NHS Confederation. With over eight years' experience in multimedia production, she has worked as a video journalist at Sky News and as multimedia journalist at Euronews, working across podcasts and long-form video. She combines a strong technical video background with storytelling expertise for digital platforms.

Terry is a video and podcast manager at the NHS Confederation, working across our audio, video and motion graphics projects. He worked for over decade as a producer at the BBC, and in a freelance career for clients including Bloomberg TV, Channel 4, Sky News, BBC Media Action, CGTN Europe, UK Gov FCDO, Art Fund and Habitat for Humanity, on projects across Europe, Africa, Asia and the USA.