DGT Branding Toolkit and Style Guidelines

THE NHS BRAND

The NHS identity is important, affecting how people think and feel about the NHS. While views of healthcare services are primarily affected by patients’ experiences and the care they receive, our communications also play a part in defining who we are and what we represent

The NHS brand is one of the most powerful in the UK, with high levels of recognition, credibility, authority and trust. The single corporate identity for the NHS, with the blue ‘lozenge’ logo, was introduced in 1999, replacing more than 600 logos within the NHS, all competing for the public’s attention. This made it difficult for people to distinguish NHS services and communications from those of commercial companies or charities. The blue lozenge is now recognised by 98 per cent of people.

The branding and identity guidelines were updated in 2016 to ensure a consistent approach to branding across the NHS, and to provide guidance to partner organisations.