Improving patient journeys

Summary

Arthritis Action commissioned Blue Lozenge to research communication gaps and information needs for patients with inflammatory arthritis in secondary care settings. Blue Lozenge conducted desk-based research, academic literature review, guided conversations with healthcare professionals, and communication health checks at two hospital trust rheumatology teams. Blue Lozenge also facilitated two patient journey mapping workshops with patients and healthcare professionals, co-creating an ideal patient communication pathway. The research provided Arthritis Action with insights into healthcare professional habits and patient needs, offering a roadmap for developing self-management resources to improve patient experiences and outcomes.

Supporting healthcare professionals to enhance patient experience through better communication

Arthritis Action, the UK charity helping people with arthritis live better lives, needed to better understand the information needs and communication gaps for patients with inflammatory arthritis in secondary care settings. They sought insights into how healthcare professionals share self-management resources and wanted to identify where high-quality communication could improve patient experiences and outcomes throughout the care pathway.

Approach

Blue Lozenge conducted comprehensive research combining multiple methodologies to understand both professional and patient perspectives:

  • Carried out extensive desk-based research reviewing existing self-management resources available to healthcare professionals
  • Analysed academic literature for best practice in self-management communication and professional engagement
  • Conducted guided conversations with secondary care healthcare professionals to understand their preferences and practices for sharing patient resources
  • Performed communication health checks at two hospital trusts’ rheumatology teams, examining communication practices, patient demand drivers, and barriers to effective self-management
  • Facilitated two patient journey mapping workshops – one with inflammatory arthritis patients and another with healthcare professionals
  • Co-created an ideal patient communication pathway with patients, identifying key touchpoints and resource gaps

Our approach ensured both clinical expertise and lived experience informed the research findings.

Impact

The research delivered critical insights into healthcare professional habits and patient needs regarding self-management resources. These findings provide Arthritis Action with a clear roadmap for developing world-class resources that fill identified gaps and support rheumatology teams in enhancing their communication practices. The co-created patient communication pathway offers a framework for improving patient experiences and outcomes throughout their care journey.

Building strategic NHS and health system partnerships

Summary

Barnardo’s commissioned Blue Lozenge to support stakeholder engagement across integrated care systems to recruit three ICS partners for a co-designed Children and Young People’s Health Equity framework. Blue Lozenge developed a comprehensive engagement strategy including six targeted contact databases, a mobile-optimised expression of interest form, two strategic webinars, and robust analytics across all channels. The campaign generated 2,291 campaign link clicks, 4,574 event page views, and 15 expressions of interest from qualified ICS partners, while positioning Barnardo’s as a thought leader in children’s health equity among Directors of Children’s Services, Public Health leads, and ICS executive teams.

Supporting Barnardo’s engagement with Integrated Care Systems for children’s health equity

Barnardo’s was partnering with the Institute of Health Equity to shape how Integrated Care Systems address health inequalities among children and young people. Through an expression of interest process, they sought to partner with three ICSs to co-design a Children and Young People’s Health Equity framework as a live tool for measuring and effecting the contribution of VCSE and wider statutory partners to ICS programmes.

The challenge extended beyond simple recruitment. Barnardo’s required strategic relationship building across the complex landscape of integrated care systems, whilst simultaneously raising their profile as a vital partner in health and care delivery. This necessitated navigation of multiple stakeholder groups, each with distinct priorities, communication preferences, and decision-making processes within the healthcare ecosystem.

Approach

Blue Lozenge developed a comprehensive stakeholder engagement strategy that combined targeted relationship building, digital engagement platforms, and strategic event delivery to connect Barnardo’s with decision-makers across the integrated care system landscape.

We created six meticulously researched contact databases, with contacts relevant to Barnardo’s strategic objectives. Recognising the need to simplify the stakeholder experience, we developed a user-friendly online expression of interest form that was fully optimised for mobile devices. This digital-first approach removed barriers to participation whilst ensuring Barnardo’s could efficiently process and analyse submissions from potential partners.

We designed and delivered two strategic webinars that served multiple purposes: educating stakeholders about the programme’s value proposition, creating networking opportunities, and providing a platform for direct engagement with Barnardo’s leadership team. Our approach included comprehensive Eventbrite setup and promotion to maximise ongoing engagement. We implemented robust analytics across all channels to track engagement, measure success, and provide Barnardo’s with actionable insights about their audience and campaign performance.

Impact

This project successfully generated significant engagement across the Integrated Care System landscape, creating valuable strategic connections and substantially elevating Barnardo’s profile within the health and care sector. We achieved, 2,291 campaign link clicks demonstrating strong interest, 4,574 event page views showing extensive reach, and 15 expressions of interest received from qualified ICS partners.

The campaign’s success extended beyond numerical metrics. By strategically engaging Directors of Children’s Services, Public Health leads, and ICS executive teams, we positioned Barnardo’s as a thought leader in children’s health equity. The personalised approach to stakeholder mapping and outreach resulted in meaningful expressions of interest from qualified partners and elevated Barnardo’s visibility in national healthcare conversations, establishing lasting relationships that extended well beyond the initial campaign objectives.

Communication to help a health charity have impact

Summary

Gold Standard Frameworks (GSF), a provider of end-of-life care training services, commissioned Blue Lozenge to refresh its communications approach and increase visibility and revenue. Blue Lozenge conducted a comprehensive communication audit, refreshed GSF’s visual identity, developed audience-specific messaging, redesigned website navigation, replaced manual booking processes, and converted blog content into LinkedIn thought leadership pieces. A programme of virtual events for integrated care system leaders was also delivered. The work generated significant results including a 51% increase in training bookings, 37% rise in expressions of interest, 215% growth in social media click-throughs, and a 100% increase in unique monthly pageviews.

Communication review, strategy development and comms delivery to boost a health charities visibility and engagement

Gold Standard Frameworks (GSF), a provider of end-of-life care training services, needed a new approach to asserting itself in national conversations and refreshing its communication approach in a digital age. They wanted to influence national policy and attract more income through it’s training offer.

Approach

Blue Lozenge supported GSF with a comprehensive communication audit. This identified areas for improvement in GSF’s online user journeys and public-facing platforms. As a result we refreshed GSF’s visual identity by creating digitally optimised assets and developing audience-specific messaging it’s different markets, for example domiciliary care and commissioners.

To increase the charity’s revenue, we redesigned the website navigation, replaced manual booking processes and converted existing blog content into LinkedIn thought leadership pieces to reach professional audiences. Finally, we raised GSF’s profile by delivering a programme of virtual events for integrated care system leaders.

Impact

GSF achieved immediate and dramatic year-on-year improvements. Expressions of interest increased by 37%, training bookings rose by 51%, referral traffic grew by 30%, social media click-throughs jumped by 215%, unique monthly pageviews doubled by 100%, bounce rate decreased by 20 percentage points to 46%, and exit rate fell by 50%. These results positioned GSF for continued growth and enhanced impact in the end-of-life care sector.

“Efficient, knowledgeable and professional are all key words I would use to describe Blue Lozenge. The Blue Lozenge team showed a deep understanding of the health and care sector and created compelling content with a consistent voice that would resonate with our target audience. Blue Lozenge helped us streamline systems and processes, ensuring that tasks were completed effectively and efficiently. We at GSF very much appreciated Blue Lozenge’s collaborative approach and willingness to impart knowledge and resources in order to achieve our combined objectives.”

Ann-Marie, Marketing Coordinator, GSF

 

Healthcare communications for vulnerable children

Summary

Childhood First, a charity providing therapeutic services for traumatised children, commissioned Blue Lozenge to develop a comprehensive communication strategy to support their five-year corporate plan. Blue Lozenge conducted a discovery phase including stakeholder interviews and document analysis, followed by a communications audit, stakeholder mapping, audience segmentation, narrative development, and content and channel planning. The resulting communication strategy included short, medium, and long-term deliverables alongside an advocacy strategy with implementation guidance, enabling Childhood First to build a stronger external profile and increase their impact for vulnerable children and young people.

Developing a comprehensive communication strategy to raise the profile of a children’s charity

Childhood First, a charity providing therapeutic services for traumatised children, needed a comprehensive communication strategy to support their new five-year corporate plan. The organisation sought to balance sustainable growth with developing a stronger external profile to increase their impact for vulnerable young people.

Approach

Using our design thinking methodology at Blue Lozenge, we began with a thorough discovery phase—interviewing stakeholders and analysing key documents to understand the landscape and challenges. Our research identified the need for formal internal and external communication mechanisms across the charity.

We developed a complete communication framework including:

  • Short, medium and long-term strategic deliverables
  • Comprehensive communications audit
  • Detailed stakeholder mapping and audience segmentation
  • Compelling narrative and key message development
  • Targeted content and channel planning
  • Advocacy strategy with implementation guidance

Impact

The project delivered an ambitious yet practical communication strategy that enables Childhood First to maximise the benefits of structured communication. This new approach directly supports their corporate goals and will help them increase their impact for the children and young people in their care.

“Blue Lozenge supported us to develop a communications and engagement strategy that will help us meet our ambitions for the children and young people we care for now and in the future. Their approach provided as with a solid plan to implement a formal communications and engagement mechanism within the charity at a pace that suited us.”

Gary Yexley – Chief Executive, Childhood First