Skye Stephens joins as a content creator apprentice and Aaron Clarke as a PR and media apprentice.

In joining the Blue Lozenge team, they will work with agency clients across a wide portfolio of NHS, local authority, partnership body and private sector organisations.

Skye has previously worked in a creative marketing agency and is interested in simplifying and explaining complex topics through content creation.

Aaron has gained work experience with Sky Sports and is interested in engaging storytelling and the development of impactful campaigns.

Our client services lead, Madeleine Pinkham, said:

We are committed to developing the next generation of talent and making sure people have real opportunities to learn, grow and contribute to the profession.

Right now, there is a lot of concern across the corporate communications and creative industries about the talent pipeline, particularly the threat to junior roles from AI. Entry-level opportunities matter because of that: for the candidates themselves, and for the fresh thinking and creativity they bring into how we work. As a Bromley-based business, we are also glad to be supporting local young people in building their careers and contributing to the local economy.

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We are proud to announce that Blue Lozenge has been awarded White Ribbon UK accreditation, affirming our commitment to ending violence against women and girls and building a culture of genuine gender equality within our organisation.

White Ribbon UK is the leading charity in England and Wales engaging men and boys in preventing violence against women and girls. Its accreditation programme recognises organisations that are willing to commit to a structure three-year action plan to drive real cultural change across the organisation.

For us, this accreditation reflects values that have defined our agency since it started. We have built our reputation around communications that help people and patients. Working alongside Kent and Medway Violence Reduction Unit, we are committed to reducing violence in our communities, especially against women and girls.

Our Chief Executive Rachel Royall said:

White Ribbon UK is the leading charity in England and Wales engaging men and boys in preventing violence against women and girls. Its accreditation programme recognises organisations that are willing to commit to a structure three-year action plan to drive real cultural change across the organisation.

For us, this accreditation reflects values that have defined our agency since it started. We have built our reputation around communications that help people and patients. Working alongside Kent and Medway Violence Reduction Unit, we are committed to reducing violence in our communities, especially against women and girls.

We recognise that as a communications agency working in health, we have both the responsibility and the platform to contribute meaningfully to this cause. We are glad to be joining the hundreds of organisations across England and Wales that are already part of the White Ribbon movement.

To find out more about White Ribbon UK and accreditation, visit White Ribbon UK

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Jill brings more than three decades of transformative leadership in the NHS, including 11 years as Managing Director of King’s Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre.

Throughout her distinguished career, Jill has mobilised clinical excellence, developed innovative partnership models and spearheaded major health data and population health initiatives. Through senior level healthcare roles and as a seasoned executive coach, Jill empowers leaders across health, tech and life sciences.

As founder of SHINE Executive Coaching and Consultancy Ltd, Jill drives strategic partnerships and talent development. A graduate of the INSEAD Global Women Leaders programme, Jill’s impact spans the UK and global health, always championing innovation, collaboration and the improvement of health outcomes.

Jill said: “I am thrilled to be joining Blue Lozenge as a member of the Strategic Advisory Board. I will be looking to bring insights from a career driving high-impact pathway redesign, life sciences partnerships, strategic and governance design, executive coaching and board support. It will be wonderful to align the vision and values of SHINE ECC and Blue Lozenge, working with their outstanding team, led so impressively by Rachel.”

Blue Lozenge founder and Chief Executive, Rachel Royal, commented:

“I’m delighted to have Jill on board. Our Strategic Advisory Board does a brilliant job of helping us develop our strategy and ensuring we remain relevant to our clients. Jill’s knowledge and expertise will be central to progressing our work, in particular our focus on using strategic communication and engagement to improve patient pathways, reduce waiting times and make a real difference to care. Her breadth of healthcare experience, combined with her skills in executive coaching and leadership, will further strengthen our board’s ability to guide the next phase of our service development and growth.”

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Sonya Cullington

Sonya Cullington is a cyberpsychologist, public sector AI trainer and health communications specialist working at the intersection of human behaviour, public trust and emerging technology. She helps public sector teams use behavioural science to design clearer, safer and more ethical communications. Sonya specialises in tackling misinformation, strengthening trust and supporting the responsible use of AI, translating complex digital insights into practical guidance that enhances — rather than replaces — human connection.

Blue Lozenge

Sarah Roberts

Sarah Roberts Chart.PR, FCIPR is an award-winning senior communications leader with over 15 years’ experience across digital, internal and strategic communications in healthcare and public service. A Chartered Practitioner and CIPR Fellow, Sarah leads digital communications at Cambridge University Hospitals, focusing on improving staff and patient digital experiences through audience-led content and accessible platforms. She is co-chair of the NHS Communications AI Network’s Training and Innovation Group, championing practical AI skills and upskilling for communicators.

Blue Lozenge

Sarah Booth

Sarah Booth is the Director of Communications and Engagement at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, with over 20 years’ experience across NHS communications. Sarah has led public affairs, media, engagement, digital and internal communications, and previously held senior roles at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. She is co-chair of the NHS Communications AI Network’s Monitoring and Evaluation Working Group, focusing on the practical, ethical use of AI to strengthen trust, transparency and patient-centred engagement.

Blue Lozenge

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The MACE Political Influencers index, now in its third edition, profiles the most influential consultants and strategists working in UK public affairs. The peer-reviewed list identifies professionals best placed to guide businesses and organisations through an increasingly complex political and regulatory environment.  

To recognise this achievement, Rachel attended a prestigious event in Westminster alongside others featured in the index including Rt Hon Jim Murphy, Founder and Executive Chair of Arden Strategies and Nerys Evans Managing Director for Cavendish Cymru. 

Rachel founded Blue Lozenge, a strategic healthcare communications agency that works across the NHS, government, the private sector, health tech and innovation in 2021. Now, in its fifth year, its success has been its ability to navigate complex relationships across government and the health and care sector. Working in challenging areas such as maternity improvement, public health campaigns, youth engagement, and violence reduction. 

Rachel’s experience spans central government, global technology and the public sector. As a living kidney donor and breast cancer survivor, she also brings personal insight alongside professional expertise recognised by both the Chartered Institute of Public Relations and the Public Relations and Communications Association.  

The selection process is demanding, with over 250 consultants initially considered. Candidates undergo peer review by senior industry practitioners who assess whether they would recommend and hire them before inclusion in the final index. 

On her achievement, Rachel said:  

“It’s a real privilege to be acknowledged as a top political influencer. The healthcare sector is facing significant political and economic challenges. At Blue Lozenge, we have a fantastic team, and it’s a credit to the relationships that we have been able to build to make a difference to people and society.”

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This year’s winners, Patrick Russell, Cree-Summer Haughton, Eloise Swinton, Hattie Hamilton, Matt Williams and Ed Saunt, took home the award for their powerful News feature, Britain’s Backstreet Surgery Scandal.

The documentary exposed the hidden dangers of unregulated cosmetic procedures in high-street salons, sparking urgent conversations about safety and standards. As the judges said:

“The documentary exemplifies the role that only well-resourced journalism can fulfil in our society. An outstanding insight into what is perhaps the biggest health fad of the moment.”

We couldn’t agree more. Health journalists take on the difficult stories that demand attention, distil complexity and hold systems to account; making vital information accessible for everyone.

The MJA awards this year were hosted by Shaun Lintern, Sunday Times journalist and chair of the MJA. The awards are held annually and celebrate the excellent work of health and medical journalists across the UK.

Rachel Royall, Our CEO said: “We really believe strongly in the value of journalism. Patients sometimes cannot advocate for themselves. They need excellent expertise and fantastic journalists who go above and beyond to research topics and get the best outcome for the patients and the public.”

That’s why Blue Lozenge is proud to support them. Their work doesn’t just tell stories it drives change.

If you’re a journalist and need support with stories, get in touch. If you are a health organisation and need PR support, we’d love to hear from you.

Get in touch at: hello@bluelozenge.co.uk

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We’re delighted to announce that we’ve moved to our new permanent home in the heart of Bromley. This exciting milestone represents the continuation of our growth journey and reinforces our commitment to team wellbeing and collaboration. 

While we remain a digital-first agency, we’ve recognised that as we grow as a team we need a more permanent base to collaborate and share with our clients. Four years ago, we set out with a simple mission: to give healthcare professionals more time to care. Today, as we settle into our new home, we’re reflecting on how far we’ve come. 

Rachel Royall, our CEO, said:

“This move is more than just a change of address – it’s a real investment in bringing our team together to do their best work. We also want to invest in our local community and we’re looking forward to hosting events and sharing the space with our clients.” 

Our new workspace at Contingent Works is specifically designed for modern collaborative working, providing: 

• Flexible working arrangements that allow our team to work when and how they’re most productive 

• Modern amenities designed to support wellbeing and productivity 

• Excellent transport links making commutes easier and more sustainable 

• Collaborative spaces that foster the innovation and teamwork our clients depend on 

• Quiet zones for the focused, deep work that creates strategic communication excellence 

Contingent provides the perfect environment for our expanding team and visiting clients. We’re also excited to welcome other communications and healthcare professionals to share this space with us – if you’re interested, get in touch at hello@bluelozenge.co.uk 

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Rose brings experience from legal, healthcare communications and mental health research, with a background that in policy development, research and volunteering in both sports and mental health. She will bring additional analytical insight and attention to detail to projects, while also building strong relationships with clients and colleagues alike. 

In her new role, Rose will work closely with our clients and the Blue Lozenge client services team, supporting the delivery of thoughtful and effective communications that make a positive impact in health and care. 

Maddie Pinkham, Client Services Team Leader at Blue Lozenge, said:

“We’re really excited to have Rose on board. Her mix of sector knowledge and practical experience means she’ll add real strength to our work with clients, and we’re looking forward to seeing the contribution she’ll make.” 

You can read more about Rose and the rest of the Blue Lozenge team here. 

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Blue Lozenge introduces the HEART model, a strategic communication and engagement framework developed for NHS and healthcare organisations, positioned as a practical tool for delivering the NHS 10 Year Health Plan for England. The model comprises five components: Hear with empathy, Explain with transparency, Accelerate operational impact, Reputation through trust, and Transform through communication. The piece argues that healthcare transformation projects across technology, workforce and clinical domains frequently fail due to inadequate communication rather than flawed policy intent. Evidence is cited linking effective communication to improved patient outcomes, reduced operational costs, staff wellbeing and behaviour change across the three plan shifts: hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention.

The Blue Lozenge HEART model provides a framework for impactful communication across the NHS.

The 10 Year Health Plan for England represents the most significant plan for healthcare transformation in decades. Yet history tells us that strategic plans succeed or fail based on one critical factor: communication.

Across healthcare, the standard and quality of communication is variable. Many people don’t understand the purpose and value of communication or how it can genuinely make a difference to people who work in healthcare and those who benefit from it. Poor communication doesn’t just cause frustration; it wastes precious time for both staff and patients, and when you have limited time to live, every moment matters.

That’s why we developed the HEART model for healthcare communication and engagement: a proven framework that can help teams transforms ambitious policy into lived reality.

Impactful healthcare communication and engagement matters more than ever

All kinds of healthcare transformation projects fail, technology, workforce, estates and clinical. They fail not because they aren’t good ideas but because of inadequate communication and engagement. The 10-Year Health Plan for England demands three fundamental shifts:

1. Hospital to community care
2. Analogue to digital system
3. Sickness to prevention

Each shift requires millions of individual behaviour changes across patients, staff, and communities.

When communication breaks down, the consequences ripple through the entire system. Communities and healthcare teams resist changes they don’t understand. Patients miss appointments because they don’t understand what’s expected. Staff spend hours explaining processes that should be clear from the start. Clinical teams repeat the same information because systems don’t talk to each other.

This is why strategic healthcare communication and engagement is essential. The HEART model, developed specifically for NHS and healthcare organisations, provides a comprehensive framework for communication excellence that drives real operational impact. It outlines the purpose of strategic communication and engagement in healthcare and has been developed from Government Communication Service best practice.

Effective communication doesn’t just improve patient satisfaction, it directly impacts operational efficiency. When people understand their care pathways, they come prepared. When staff have clear internal communications, they work more effectively. When communities understand service changes, they support rather than resist transformation.

The HEART model

H – Hear with empathy

We listen to and deeply involve diverse communities and people. We go beyond surface level listening to truly understand the perspectives, concerns and experiences of different stakeholders. We create meaningful, two-way dialogue that demonstrates genuine commitment to understanding.

E – Explain with transparency

We craft clear, honest communications about policies and decision-making processes. We build trust through open, accessible explanations that provide context, rationale and potential impacts. Our audiences are often diverse we therefore check understanding and deliver messages at times that help people to understand.

A – Accelerate operational impact

Strategic communication is a critical lever for operational performance. We connect operational goals directly to meaningful outcomes for our workforce, communities and stakeholders. We support the delivery of key shifts in care delivery – from hospital to community, analogue to digital, and sickness to prevention. We proactively measure and evaluate communication impact.

R – Reputation through trust

We manage reputation by consistently demonstrating progress, reliability, integrity and commitment. We build credibility through transparent communication, delivering on promises and aligning actions with values and needs. We strengthen trust through patient choice and empowerment. When things go wrong, we own mistakes and rebuild trust through honesty.

T – Transform through communication

We create transformative communication that drives positive behaviour change with our workforce, patients and citizens. We use strategic storytelling, evidence-based messaging and targeted engagement to inspire action, build understanding, and support meaningful change across healthcare ecosystems.

More time to care and more time to live

Strategic healthcare communication and engagement isn’t about apps, posters, messages, prettying things up, it’s about creating the conditions where healthcare works more effectively for everyone. When communication is done well, it:

Gives healthcare workers more time to care by:

• Reducing the need to repeatedly explain processes and procedures
• Improving patient preparation and compliance
• Streamlining referral and discharge processes
• Building stronger team collaboration and understanding
• Reducing complaints and crisis management workload

Gives patients and citizens more time to live by:

• Helping them navigate healthcare systems more easily
• Enabling them to make informed decisions about their health
• Reducing anxiety and uncertainty about their care
• Empowering them to take control of their health journey
• Creating services that actually meet their needs

Implementing the HEART model for NHS transformation

The neighbourhood health service won’t emerge from policy papers, it requires communication that helps people navigate integrated care with confidence. Digital-first care needs more than technology; it needs communication that builds capability and trust. Prevention strategies must inspire people to understand why healthier choices matter for their own lives.

Healthcare communication professionals who understand operational realities aren’t just storytellers, they’re performance improvers. They create measurable improvements that reduce costs, enhance outcomes and free up clinical capacity where it’s needed most.

The evidence is clear: effective communication in healthcare settings improves patient satisfaction, reduces costs, promotes better health behaviours, and enhances staff wellbeing. When people understand their care, trust their healthcare providers, and feel empowered to make healthy choices, the entire system works more effectively.

Making the 10 Year Health Plan work

The 10 Year Health Plan for England gives us the ambition. Strategic communication and engagement provide the means to achieve it. The HEART model offers healthcare leaders a practical framework to move from policy analysis to transformational action.

Every communication choice either builds or erodes trust. Every stakeholder interaction either strengthens or weakens reputation. Every conversation either accelerates or hinders the operational changes our communities desperately need.

Communication isn’t the nice-to-have that comes after strategy—it’s the engine that drives healthcare transformation. The question isn’t whether healthcare communication matters, but whether we’re using it strategically enough to deliver the change our patients and communities deserve.

When we get communication right, we create the conditions where healthcare teams can focus on what they do best: providing excellent care. We help patients become partners in their own health journey. We build communities that support rather than resist positive change.

This is how strategic communication and engagement gives everyone more time to care and more time to live.

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We are delighted to announce the launch of our Strategic Advisory Board. We’ve bought together an independent panel of senior healthcare and communication industry leaders to guide our next phase of growth.  The board will guide our service development and help ensure we continue to deliver communication solutions that give healthcare professionals more time to care and patients better experiences. 

Alongside then Blue Lozenge leadership team our strategic advisory board members are: 

Jim Donaldson, Chair – With over 30 years in communications consultancy, Jim has led campaigns and teams at some of the world’s leading PR agencies. He was previously CEO of the UK and Middle East at global consultancy FleishmanHillard and now undertakes a portfolio career as a non-executive adviser and mentor. 

Sarah Tedford, NHS CEO – An exceptional healthcare executive leader with a proven track record of delivering rapid organisational change across major NHS institutions and with experience in pharna. Sarah successfully navigated Covid-19 challenges and led transformational improvements.  

Matthew Hopkins, NHS CEO – Chief Executive of Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust and an experienced NHS leader, having previously served as CEO of multiple NHS trusts. Matthew began his career as a nurse in the NHS, bringing frontline perspective to strategic leadership. 

Suhail Mirza, Non-Executive Director – A globally recognised inclusive wellness coach with over 20 years of healthcare sector experience. Suhail is a bestselling author and created the W.I.S.D.O.M Programme™, helping leaders unlock clarity and achieve sustainable success and hosts the Voices of Care podcast. 

The board’s  first meeting discussed the government’s 10-year health plan and how our service portfolio can support the healthcare system during this period of significant transformation. 

Rachel Royall, our founder and CEO, commented:

“Launching our Strategic Advisory Board represents an important milestone in our journey. The expertise and insight these leaders bring will be invaluable as we continue to develop services that truly make a difference to healthcare organisations and the communities they serve. 

“Four years in, we’ve delivered over 150 projects for 50 clients, but our mission remains unchanged – we transform healthcare through strategic communication that gives professionals more time to care and patients better experiences. This board will help ensure we continue to innovate and respond to the evolving needs of the health and care system.” 

We are actively seeking to strengthen the board with representatives from patient advocacy and public health backgrounds. Healthcare professionals or patient representatives interested in contributing to this important work are invited to contact the board secretariat. 

For more information about joining our Strategic Advisory Board, contact Corinne Harrison, partnership manager, at corinne@bluelozenge.co.uk 

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