Yorkshire health job for Designers Republic

The latest NHS initiative, Healthy Ambitions, aimed at improving healthcare in the Yorkshire region, is being realised with the help of The Designers Republic.

Healthy Ambitions is the outcome of a national NHS review led by Lord Darzi last year. Each region within the NHS has had to find its own way of implementing the review, as well as laying out plans to address health challenges specific to its region.

The consultancy won the tender in March, following a credentials pitch, and was asked to produce a visual identity for NHS Yorkshire and the Humber’s Healthy Ambitions programme, a 158-page book (pictured), a public-facing version of the report and a website, www. healthyambitions.co.uk.

Designers Republic managing director Richard Wright explains that the eight health pathways – or divisions that provide various services within the regional NHS – were developed in a brand architecture style to help both staff and the public identify the various divisions. The resulting visual system will be used across NHS communications collateral going forward to ensure consistency, he says.

‘We set up the initial branding and tied it in to the report to give it consistency, so that it will still be relevant in five years’ time,’ says Wright.

Designers Republic creative director Rob Brearley explains the project was complex – a significant amount of information had to be made accessible to the public.

‘We had to find a way of giving them a brand for each of the pathways, but make it seem like a journey. We did this by using concentric circles, each with a different colour to represent a different pathway. The white centre of the circle represents health and wellbeing,’ he explains.

The website home page features the Yorkshire rose as the main visual device, while the public-facing report summary evolves the rose into profile silhouettes. ‘We also had to work within NHS brand guidelines considering legibility issues,’ says Brearley.