Blue Lozenge is delighted to sponsor the MJA Awards for the first time this year. We want to celebrate excellence in health journalism because the very best journalism leads to safer care, bringing improvements for patients, the public and the dedicated people working across the health and care sector.
We’re particularly keen to be involved now, when the value of communications is being seriously questioned in the NHS. Brilliant journalists locally and nationally scrutinise the health services we all rely on, holding the system to account. Their well-researched stories, which go beyond headlines and clickbait, have the power to change patients’ experience of care for the better. Those of us who’ve worked in-house in hospitals, community trusts, mental health trusts or elsewhere in the health system know their work relies on excellent in-house communications teams working alongside them.
This year we’re supporting the Feature of the Year (Broadcast) award. Healthcare communication is often dismissed as complex, but this award celebrates the ability to transform intricate health information into accessible, engaging content in as little as two minutes. The skill of experienced journalists and emerging voices working across the UK in this field is exceptional.
About Blue Lozenge
Our name derives from the colloquial phrase everyone used when the NHS brand was introduced. The blue lozenge logo first appeared in the 1990s, but following a 1999 rebranding exercise, it unified more than 600 different visual identities into one cohesive system. Initially criticised for diverting funding from service provision, the investment in communication and branding has proved its worth. Today the NHS remains one of the most iconic brands globally, though trust has never been lower.
In today’s healthcare environment, leaders face mounting responsibilities and relentless pressures. Our mission is to add value through strategic communication and engagement across the health and care sector. Strategic communication, handled by specialists, helps healthcare leaders excel at what matters most: improving the lives of patients, service users and communities.
We believe transparency, accountability and scrutiny make healthcare stronger. That’s why we support journalism that challenges the system to do better. Our one ask is that journalists stop accepting ‘a spokesperson says’ and demand real accountability from real people in senior positions across the health and care sector.
If you have a safety challenge or need strategic health communication and engagement support that embraces scrutiny and builds trust, we’d love to help. Contact our partnership manager Corinne Harrison:
Find out more about Blue Lozenge at www.bluelozenge.co.uk and follow us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/bluelozenge/
