NHS logo gets identity managers’ touch
Every hospital in the country has been ordered to alter its logo by NHS “identity managers”. A diktat from NHS England means hundreds of organisations will have to rework all their publicity materials, moving the NHS logo so it is above the name of each trust, instead of beside it. NHS England said it would reduce public “confusion and concern”.
EVERY hospital in the country has been ordered to alter its logo by NHS “identity managers” in a measure that last night prompted fury and ridicule.
A diktat from NHS England means hundreds of organisations will have to rework all their publicity materials, moving the NHS logo so it is above the name of each trust, instead of beside it.
The measure has been introduced by the “NHS identity team” following 1,000 interviews and 28 focus groups with members of the public. It follows a two-year review of the health service logo with nine workshops involving 100 communications officials.
NHS England said it would reduce “confusion and concern” among the public – claiming that inconsistencies in the current use of the format could be driving pressures on Accident & Emergency units.
But hospital managers and charities poured scorn on the exercise – saying it would divert precious resources at a time when the health service is attempting to find £22 billion in savings. The new guidance, highlighted by
Health Service Journal, advises every NHS organisation to comply with new brand rules. The main change is moving the “NHS” lozenge so it is above an organisation’s name instead of beside.
It was introduced by the NHS identity team, which has two members of staff on between £56,000 and £69,000 and £40,000 to £48,000 each.
Every organisation has been told to make changes to online publications within a year and to make changes to physical signs when practical.
An email sent to trust managers says: “Patients and the public are seeing the NHS identity in a range of diverse and inconsistent styles. This is creating confusion and concern.”
An NHS England spokesman said lack of consistency could be resulting in “more people inappropriately defaulting to A&E”.
An NHS trust manager told the HSJ that the move was a waste of time when services were under major strain.
Katherine Murphy, the chief executive of the Patients Association, said: “I cannot believe that at a time when the NHS is under such severe strain and so desperately short of money that they can waste all this time messing around with stupid logos.”
New language tests for all overseas doctors has led to a “sharp drop” in doctors applying to the UK from southern Europe, health watchdogs have said.
The General Medical Council told MPs that more than 1,000 doctors had been turned down since tests were introduced in 2014.
Until then, doctors from other EU countries did not undergo checks for language skills – even though those from English-speaking countries outside the EU had to do so.