NHS Confederation announces launch of new communications agency

The NHS Confederation is the largest membership body in the NHS and represents all parts of the system across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The organisation already provides a range of support for communications and engagement leads in the NHS, including hosting a communications network, delivering advocacy support on key issues affecting the profession, and providing practical support in areas such as AI and how to improve diversity among the communications workforce. 

That support will continue but due to growing demand from member and stakeholder organisations, the Confederation is taking this a step further by providing more bespoke communications services, with a particular focus on:

• Strategy development, planning and evaluation (including conducting communications audits)
• Campaign strategy development and delivery 
• Capability and capacity building (training, skills audits, facilitation) 
• Creative services (editorial and production, design, video and audio)
• Public affairs 
• Media relations
• Crisis communications and issues management
• Marketing
• Inclusive communications
• AI adoption
• Event management.

HealthCommsPlus will support communications and engagement teams working in the NHS and other health and care organisations across the UK; national bodies and stakeholder organisations; and wider public and voluntary sector organisations.

The agency was today launched at NHS ConfedExpo, the flagship conference for health and care leaders organised by the NHS Confederation and NHS England.

Commenting on the launch, Daniel Reynolds, director of communications at the NHS Confederation who is leading HealthCommsPlus, said:

“We have built up significant expertise in communications and have started to provide more bespoke support to our members and partners in recent months. We have been exploring whether there is appetite for us to offer communications services to our members and partners as part of an in-house agency offer, and we’ve been encouraged by the levels of interest. So, we are delighted to be launching HealthCommsPlus today.

“We are deeply committed to the NHS communications and engagement profession and will work side by side with our members and partners to build capacity and capability within teams across the NHS to ensure long-term success. 

“We have a shared commitment to improving health and care outcomes and will combine our sector knowledge and expertise to deliver strategic and operational communications support where it’s most needed. This activity is aligned to the core purpose of the Confederation, with all income being reinvested in the support we provide to NHS organisations and wider health and care systems.” 

HealthCommsPlus is headed up by Daniel Reynolds, with a management team made up of Paul Cooney, Sarah Miller, Joy Okunnu, Ros Munro and John O’Brien. We will also be supported by a number of associates who will lead delivery for specific services, including Victoria Parker and Carrie-Ann Wade who are highly experienced directors of communications in the NHS.

Please see our website and brochure for more details: www.nhsconfed.org/healthcommsplus