Press release: New head of public affairs joins the NHS confederation

14 Apr 2005

Sarah Jones has joined the NHS Confederation as the membership organisation's new Head of Public Affairs.
She heads up a six-strong public affairs team which manages the Confederation's relationships with the media, government health ministers and shadow health spokespeople, MPs and stakeholders.

Sarah worked in Westminster as a parliamentary researcher for Labour MPs Mo Mowlam and Geraint Davies, with a brief period as a press officer for the Labour Party during the successful 1997 General Election campaign, before joining the housing charity Shelter in September 2000.

Her four years at Shelter culminated in the role of campaigns manager which meant that Sarah managed the charity's public affairs and campaigns team, winners of the PR Week 2004 award for best public affairs campaign.

Sarah led Shelter's largest public campaign - the million children campaign - which resulted in significant media coverage, the recruitment of 30,000 people who signed up to support Shelter and a shift in perceptions among MPs in particular.

She says: "I spent four thoroughly enjoyable years at Shelter but I am looking forward to the challenge of leading the NHS Confederation's public affairs team because health is always at the top of the political agenda - not least in election year.

"The NHS Confederation represents more than 90% of NHS organisations and we are working with a variety of partners to ensure that the health issues that matter are on the agenda.

"Our new joint report with UNISON, 'Completing the picture', profiles the vital role of managers and support staff in the NHS and we are part of the ongoing '17 million reasons' campaign which is a partnership of patient groups and other organisations calling for a better deal for the 17.5 million people living with long-term conditions in the UK."

Sarah will lead the NHS Confederation's public affairs activity at the organisation's biggest public event of the year - its annual conference  in Birmingham from June 15 to 17.

Ends

Notes for editors

The NHS Confederation represents more than 90% of the organisations that make up the NHS throughout the UK. Its members include the majority of NHS trusts, foundation trusts, primary care trusts and health authorities in England; trusts and local health boards in Wales; NHS boards and special boards in Scotland; and health and social service trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.

Contact details

Contact Media Relations Manager Matt Akid on 020 7074 3306.

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