Female pharmacist stands in a pharmacy shop area in front of shelves with medicine. She has long dark hair and wears a blue floral shirt.

Local NHS campaign: improving healthcare access 

Summary

South East London Integrated Care Board and Bexley Wellbeing Partnership commissioned Blue Lozenge to develop a targeted campaign helping Bexley’s 245,000 residents navigate NHS services and reduce pressure on emergency care. Blue Lozenge created the ‘Better Access Bexley’ campaign, comprising four phased campaigns over six months promoting the NHS App, GP services, evening appointments, and Pharmacy First. Delivery channels included out-of-home advertising, partner toolkits, and distribution to 100,000 homes. The campaign achieved a 79% increase in Pharmacy First self-referrals, a 47% increase in NHS App downloads, and 2 million out-of-home impressions.

A targeted campaign helping Bexley residents to better understand how to access services

Despite increased NHS funding, emergency services remain overwhelmed with patients who could be treated elsewhere. National communications about alternative care options are not always effectively reaching or influencing local residents. South East London Integrated Care Board and Bexley Wellbeing Partnership needed to cut through this noise with targeted messaging that would resonate with its 245,000 residents and redirect them to appropriate services. 

Approach

Blue Lozenge partnered with the NHS South East London Bexley team to create ‘Better Access Bexley’ – a series of four targeted campaigns featuring local residents and NHS staff: 

Over the course of six months we: 

  • Created a unified visual identity for ‘Better Access Bexley’ to build recognition 
  • Developed place-specific messaging tailored to Bexley’s unique context 
  • Produced campaigns promoting the NHS App, evening/Saturday GP appointments, GP team services, and Pharmacy First 
  • Used strategic out-of-home advertising with trackable QR codes at commuter hotspots 
  • Distributed comprehensive toolkits to partner organisations for multi-channel deployment 
  • Phased campaign activation to coincide with seasonal NHS pressures 

Our strategy was informed by existing research revealing that residents didn’t understand which services suited their needs, and many emergency visits required no investigation. By featuring local healthcare professionals and Bexley-specific messaging, we created more relatable and effective communications. 

Impact

The campaign delivered exceptional results that far exceeded targets: 

  • 79% increase in Pharmacy First self-referrals (target: 10%) 
  • 47% increase in NHS App downloads (target: 5%) 
  • 10%+ increase in NHS App interactions (repeat prescriptions, appointments) 
  • 2 million impressions from out-of-home advertising 
  • 274% increase in website visits July – December 2024 
  • Distribution to 100,000 homes via Bexley Winter Wellbeing magazine 

The campaign has started to change resident behaviour, their understanding of local NHS services and how they access these services. These were key aims and also helped to ease pressure on A&E services, by signposting people to more appropriate care.

Aysha Awan, Head of Communications and Engagement, NHS South-East London, Bexley Wellbeing Partnership.