Shortlist for health communication awards; New breast screening resources; Men's health strategy welcomed
PIF members make the shortlist in communications awards
Several PIF members have been named on the shortlist for the CharityComms Inspiring Communicator Awards 2025. The awards highlight people who demonstrate spirit, insight, skills, and, above all, are inspirational in their use of communications for a cause or charity. There are seven award categories and the shortlists have been selected by a panel of peers and nominated by the CharityComms community.
The PIF members on the shortlists include:
- Best Collaboration (freelancer and charity) – The Stroke Association and PIF member Eleanor Stanley who brought lived experiences and insights together to produce a vital and compassionate resource about causes and treatments for children who have had a stroke.
- Best Collaboration (agency and charity) – PIF member CoppaFeel! collaborated with The Saltways to develop and share the learning from Sue’s Story, a legacy film project which encourages audiences aged 50+ to give to a youth-focused charity.
- Rising Star – Amy Lynch, digital communications officer at PIF member Tommy’s, launched the charity’s social media expert TikTok channel and developed their responsive content – praised for an impressive acumen for learning and collaboration.
- Team of the Year – The communications, engagement and fundraising team at PIF member ERIC, The Children’s Bowel and Bladder Charity, has supercharged its visibility as a charity, reaching 1.6 million people online. The digital team was described as “the backbone” of the charity’s services.
The winners will be revealed at an online awards ceremony, streaming straight to LinkedIn on 10 December from 11am.
Find out more about the awards on the CharityComms website here.
New resources to improve breast screening uptake
An NHS trust has been promoting a new video which aims to reduce anxiety, dispel myths, and encourage more women to attend breast screening scans. The video, which has been funded by PIF member Macmillan Cancer Support, was launched by NHS Mid and South Essex to help women feel more informed and confident about attending their mammogram appointments. It provides a clear, step-by-step overview of the breast screening process – from receiving an invitation to attending the appointment and receiving results.
The video is part of a wider campaign to address persistently low screening uptake across the region. Recent data found that breast screening uptake is particularly low in deprived areas, in women from black and minority ethnic backgrounds and amongst women living with learning disabilities or a severe mental illness. To help reach more women from diverse communities, NHS Mid and South Essex is also producing translated versions of the video in key community languages and has developed a suite of accessible materials to support women with learning disabilities and autism.
First men's health strategy is welcomed
The publication of the UK Government’s first ever Men's Health Strategy for England has been hailed as "an historic day for us all". The Men's Health Forum has been campaigning and advocating for a national strategy for over a decade and said the government and the sector must now work together to turn promises into progress. The government said the strategy "aims to tackle crisis in men’s mental health, improve physical health and reduce inequalities". It also supports the government's ambition to halve the gap in healthy life expectancy between the richest and poorest regions, while increasing it for everyone.
The Men's Health Forum's chair, Dr John Chisholm CBE, welcomed the strategy and said: "A strategic, gendered approach to healthcare should improve access and outcomes and address inequalities. It is particularly welcome that organisations committed to improving the health of men and boys will be involved in a stakeholder group helping to implement the strategy, and that there is a commitment to evaluate progress in a year's time."
Read more about the reaction to the strategy on the Men's Health Forum website here.
Gaps in maternity care standards must be addressed
The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) has identified gaps in inclusion and communication in new draft maternity care standards. The ALLIANCE has responded to Healthcare Improvement Scotland’s consultation on draft Maternity Care Standards and said it welcomed the ambition and overall direction. However, several critical gaps must be addressed. First, the ALLIANCE strongly advocates for the creation of a standalone standard on communication, recognising that effective and accessible communication underpins every aspect of safe, equitable maternity care. The absence of abortion and limited reference to miscarriage were also highlighted as significant omissions. The ALLIANCE also said the standards should explicitly acknowledge the lasting psychological impacts of COVID-19 on those who were pregnant, gave birth or experienced loss during that period.
The ALLIANCE response draws on lived experience evidence from a joint research report, which captured the voices of more than 200 women about their experiences of maternity care in Scotland during the COVID-19 pandemic. While many of the accounts were pandemic specific, they also revealed long-standing systemic challenges within maternity services.
Read more on the response on the ALLIANCE website here.
Survey explores shared electronic care records
An annual survey asked people to share their lived experience of shared electronic care records and asked whether they are key to better care co-ordination. Those who responded to the International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC) Annual Survey 2025 were invited to seven focus groups to explore the themes in more detail. Nearly 8 in 10 people at the centre of care and informal carers who had experienced records being shared across organisational boundaries said it led to better care co-ordination. The reasons they gave for this better experience of co-ordination included:
- Better communication between professionals.
- Greater clarity for them as the person at the centre of care.
- Better experience of connected care.
- Involvement in decision-making and more agency.
- Reduced duplication including being asked for the same information by different providers.
Read more on the survey results on the IFIC website here.
Events to shine a light on co-production
NHS England has shared details of new monthly events which aim to show what can be achieved when people with lived experience and people who work for the NHS (learnt experience) partner together. The Experience and Partnerships Team at NHS England has organised the Shine a Light on Co-production online events. The November event was held this week and allowed guests to join Rich Amos and Rob Moriarty in conversation about their roles as patient partners on the National Improvement Board. The next event is on 16 December from 10.30am until 12pm. Each event includes a discussion about the difference co-production has made, top tips and the challenges faced.
Find out more and book an event on the NHS England website here.
Review into the impact of digital health interventions
Researchers found benefits and concerns with digital interventions for people with chronic conditions. A total of 46 relevant studies were reviewed to evaluate how digital interventions impact the treatment burden experienced by people with chronic conditions. The research describes treatment burden as both the workload caused by the self-management of the condition and the impact the treatment has on the patient’s function and well-being. The review found the main benefits of digital interventions – such as telehealth and self-management tools – was the support with self-management, informational support and easier ways to contact health care professionals. The main concerns were accessibility issues, time-consuming tools, and causing fear and anxiety.