Patient Information Forum

News & Events > Design of health information

Informal consultation: developing a design style for your organisation

12 January 2006, 15:47
News & Events > Design of health information

NHS PiF members have been asked to comment on the above DRAFT guidance accessible via www.nhscommslink.nhs.uk/secure/default.aspx?load=ArticleViewer&ArticleId=1323&PageId=0 

The Department of Health (DH) have developed guidance in response to feedback from NHS communicators asking for more information on how to create a unique local design style, while still working within the overall NHS identity.

As the NHS begins to develop more personalised services with choices for patients, many trusts and other NHS organisations have identified a need to develop a more distinctive image and to raise awareness of their services. As the NHS changes the way it works, delivering new services in different ways, the presentation of a unified, professional service is increasingly important.  Correct and consistent use of the NHS identity plays a key role in achieving this.

The guidance aims to demonstrate the flexibility of the NHS identity and to illustrate how the consistent use of colour, typefaces, photography and other imagery can be used to produce a distinctive visual style. It also contains resources to help people get started, including an outline project plan, draft brief, glossary and, most importantly, five real life best practice case studies showing how organisations have created their own distinctive local design styles within the NHS identity.

While the guidance focuses on creating a visual style within the NHS identity, rather than on the content of the information, good design is clearly a factor in producing high quality patient information.  The DH anticipate that many people reading the guidance will be doing so with a view to enhancing their patient information.

The guidance has not yet been officially launched and printed and the DH would be very grateful for any feedback from PiF members who work in the NHS.

Please e-mail feedback to caroline.fox@dh.gsi.gov.uk, Senior Brand Manager, Department of Health.