DGT Branding Toolkit and Style Guidelines

WRITTEN STYLE

Capitals

Use capitals for: • full committee titles – Finance Committee

In general, keep capitals to a minimum and only use them for proper names and at the beginning of sentences. If in doubt, use lower case. The reason being is that the shape of typed capitals is more uniform and is harder for the eye to read. There is often much confusion about capitals in job titles. The rule is that when we write about an individual’s job title it is capitalised but when referring generally to a job, it is not captialised. For example, *Name Name*, Chief Executive of Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust, met other chief executives to discuss the Sustainability and Transformation Partnership. Do not use capital letters for seasons of the year and points of the compass unless they are part of a name. For instance: Our patients come from Dartford, Gravesham and across north Kent.

• full names of government departments – the Department of Health

• department names – Communications and Engagement

• job titles – when writing about an individual’s job title for example, Lesley Dwyer, Chief Executive met patients.

Use lower case when talking generally, for example ‘we met commissioners and managing directors to discuss future services.’

Don’t use capitals for:

It is also our house style to capitalise the first word only in headings and sub headings. See the headings used throughout this document for examples.

• the government

Note that using ALL CAPITALS will make content harder to read for people with visual impairments.

• the south east

• seasons – spring, summer, autumn and winter

• internet

• emphasis – use bold instead.