Extended and Free Choice Network PDF created: 14 July 2016 For the latest updates, see the NHS Brand Guideline website at http://www.nhsidentity.nhs.uk We may at any time revise the online guidelines. Please check regularly. Continued use of downloaded NHS Brand Guidelines after a change has been made online is your acceptance of the change.
Contents Introduction 1 NHS logo 4 Pre-referral 11 Post-referral 18 Stationery 19 Letterheads 21 Compliments slip 24 Stationery checklist 27 Patient information 28 Further help and information 30
Introduction Here we set out the NHS brand guidelines for Independent Sector healthcare providers delivering NHS services as part of the Extended Choice Network (ECN) and the Free Choice Network (FCN). This section shows you how to use and apply the NHS brand to stationery, patient information and marketing materials produced within the ECN and FCN framework agreements. You can print and/or download all of these guidelines by clicking on the PDF link on this page. Background to choice at referral As part of the health reform programme, choice at referral to hospital was introduced on 1 January 2006. Most patients who require an elective referral are now offered a choice of at least four hospitals (or suitable alternative providers), and a choice of time and date for their booked appointment, at the time they are referred by their GP or primary care professional. The Operating Framework for 2006/07 gave a commitment to extending choice so that patients can choose to be referred to any 1
NHS foundation trust (NHS FT), nationally procured independent sector treatment centre (ISTC) or other nationally approved independent sector (IS) provider, where clinically appropriate. The Operating Framework for 2007/08 noted that extended choice was to be rolled out further as new NHS FTs, ISTCs and IS providers were added to the national menu. As outlined in the Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2008/09, free choice was introduced fully in April 2008 for all patients who require an elective referral. They can choose to be treated by any provider that meets NHS eligibility criteria, and can book their first appointment online. Positioning your NHS services to patients You are contracted to provide services on behalf of the NHS and it is therefore essential that patients understand that the services you provide are an integral part of their NHS treatment. All services provided to NHS patients must be positioned as NHS services, showing that they are funded by the NHS and delivered in line with NHS standards and values. When describing your services to NHS patients, referrers or the public, you should refer to them as services delivered on behalf of the NHS. Promoting your NHS services You have a legitimate need to market and promote the services you deliver on behalf of the NHS to referrers and commissioners and the public. 2
When you are promoting these services it is essential that potential patients, referrers and the public understand that it is you who is promoting your services, and not the NHS. Protecting the reputation and brand of the NHS It is essential that your marketing activity does not undermine the reputation and brand of the NHS. Please refer to the ECN and FCN membership agreements for definitions of Marketing Activity, full details of Marketing Guidelines and conditions of use of the NHS logo. 3
NHS logo The NHS logo is the cornerstone of our brand identity. It is our signature; the mark of NHS ownership of services and messages. It is also one of the most powerful logos in the UK, carrying: over 95% spontaneous recognition among the general public; and very strong levels of credibility, authority and trust. As a result of this recognition and trust, the NHS is perceived to be an impartial and credible provider of health advice, information and services. Using the NHS logo: pre and post-referral To maintain the reputation of the NHS brand and to avoid confusion among the public, the guidelines for using the NHS logo differ depending on whether they are being applied to materials promoting your NHS services (pre-referral), or signposting the patient s journey (post-referral). These guidelines explain the differences and provide the details to ensure you can apply the NHS logo and identity correctly and consistently. Trademark The NHS logo is a registered trademark, owned by the Department of Health. Its use is granted to you as part of your contract and it can only be used in accordance with these guidelines. 4
Colour The colour of the NHS logo is NHS Blue (Pantone 300). By using this colour you will help to enhance recognition of our logo and reinforce our identity. Wherever possible, you should use the NHS logo against a white or light-coloured background. If you are printing in mono, you can reproduce the NHS logo in black. If you are printing on a dark background, you can reverse the logo out of your background colour. You should never reproduce the logo in a tint of NHS Blue or black. The NHS logo in NHS Blue (Pantone 300) 5
The NHS logo in black The NHS logo reversed out of an NHS Blue background (Pantone 300) 6
The NHS logo reversed out of a black background Dos and don'ts: Do: use NHS Blue (Pantone 300) to reproduce the logo; use the NHS logo against a white or light background. Don't: use tints of NHS Blue or black. The exclusion zone The exclusion zone is the clear area that surrounds the NHS logo. To ensure that the logo remains clear and has impact, nothing should ever appear inside the exclusion zone. There are occasional exceptions to this rule, for example, if you are creating specific logotypes for statutory organisations. But in general you should never enter the exclusion zone. 7
The exclusion zone The clear space (shown here as X) is proportional and is defined as the height of the NHS logo. 8
NHS logo size guide Margin For all publications other than stationery, the margin spacing for the logo is equivalent to the logo clearspace at the appropriate size. 9
Stationery, such as an A4 letterhead or a business card, have a specific margin measurement, details of which can be found in the Stationery section. Working with the NHS logo The NHS logo should never be used as a substitute for the letters NHS in a sentence or phrase. It should also only appear once on a single sheet. Duplication can dilute the strength and impact of our logo. 10
Pre-referral Here we set out the guidelines for promoting the services you provide on behalf of the NHS, and explain how to apply the NHS logo to pre-referral materials. The marketing materials and activities covered here are likely to be seen by patients before they have been referred by their GP. This includes all advertising. It also includes any promotional material aimed at referrers, plus materials used at the moment of referral to help patients make treatment choices. Using your provider logo Materials designed to promote the services you provide on behalf of the NHS must be branded with your own provider logo and in line with your own corporate identity. By using your provider logo, you will help to ensure that potential patients, referrers and the public understand that it is you that is promoting your services, and not the NHS. Using the NHS logo and the Providing NHS services descriptor line You can also use the NHS logo, together with the Providing NHS services descriptor line, to ensure that patients, the public and referrers understand that the services you are promoting are being delivered on behalf of the NHS. 11
You must not use the NHS logo without the descriptor line, as the descriptor line explains to patients, the public and referrers why you are using the NHS logo on your materials. You can only use the NHS logo and descriptor line on materials that relate solely to the NHS services you are providing. You cannot use the NHS logo, with or without the descriptor line, for general promotional purposes, or on materials which are unrelated to the NHS services you provide. Providing NHS services descriptor line Specifications The specifications for using the NHS logo and the 'Providing NHS services' descriptor line are as follows: Positioning You must position the NHS logo and 'Providing NHS services descriptor line' in the bottom right-hand corner of any page or other material. You should position it as a fixed unit in its own space by running a white or NHS Blue (Pantone 300) band along the base of the material, as shown below. 12
Applying the NHS logo and Providing NHS services descriptor line to printed materials You should always use an original version of the artwork for the NHS logo and Providing NHS services descriptor line. Do not attempt to recreate your own version, or redraw or change the artwork in any way. You should not use alternative colours for the logo or text, or change the typeface of either element or create shapes around them. You can download the NHS logo and 'Providing NHS services' descriptor line below. Download the NHS logo and the Providing NHS services descriptor line To help you produce your pre-referral materials, we have created master artwork for the NHS logo and 'Providing NHS services' descriptor line. When implementing this artwork, please make sure you refer to the guidelines set out in this section. Exclusion zone You must keep an exclusion zone around the NHS logo and Providing NHS services descriptor line. This exclusion zone should be equal to the height of the NHS logo, as shown in the diagram below. 13
Exclusion zone graphic Size The standard size for the NHS logo is 10 mm for A4 materials and 8.5mm for A5/DL materials. The logo should never be any smaller than the size used on NHS business cards, which is 4.25mm. Colour If you are printing in colour, use the blue version of the NHS logo and Providing NHS services descriptor line, or reverse it out of a blue band. If you are printing in black and white, use the black version. If printing on a dark background, reverse the NHS logo and descriptor line out of the background. 14
NHS Brand Guidelines Extended and Free Choice Network 14 July 2016 Visual showing descriptor on colour bar Applying the NHS logo and Providing NHS services descriptor line to websites We have produced an alternative form of the NHS logo and Providing NHS services descriptor line for use on websites. Please note that you may only use the NHS logo and descriptor line on web pages containing information solely about your NHS services. Original artwork Always use an original version of the artwork for the NHS logo and Providing NHS services descriptor line. Do not attempt to recreate your own version, redraw or change the artwork in any way. Do not use alternative colours for the logo or text, change the typeface of either element or create shapes around the elements. You can download artwork for the NHS logo and Providing NHS services descriptor line for websites below. 15
Specifications The specifications for using the NHS logo and Providing NHS services descriptor line on web pages are as follows: Positioning and exclusion zone: the NHS logo and descriptor line must be positioned as a fixed unit in its own space, as shown in the examples below, observing the exclusion zone marked by X. Size: the standard size for the NHS logo and Providing NHS service descriptor line (as shown by the dotted grey line) on websites is shown below. Colour: use the blue version of the NHS logo and Providing NHS services descriptor line, or reverse it out of a blue block in white, as shown in the examples below. NHS logo and 'Providing NHS services' descriptor line for use on websites Download the artwork: web version We have created an alternative version of the NHS logo and 'Providing NHS services' descriptor line for use on websites. 16
NHS_COL_vers_B_3.eps NHS_REV_vers_B_3.eps 17
Post-referral Here we set out the guidelines for all materials that form part of the patient s journey through their NHS treatment. These guidelines show you how to apply the NHS logo to all post-referral materials. The materials covered here include all stationery, for example appointment letters and consent forms, and patient information, including pre-operative information packs. 18
Stationery When corresponding with NHS patients about services you are providing on behalf on the NHS, you must apply the NHS logo to your stationery. Follow the specifications set out in this section. In addition to the NHS logo, you should also use your provider logo on all stationery, as shown in the examples set out in these sections. To ensure your lines of accountability are clear to patients, you must also include an explanatory statement and the legal details of your organisation in the footer of all letterheads and compliment slips. Please note: you cannot apply a design style to your stationery. Colours When printing NHS-branded stationery, in the majority of cases you shouldn t require more than one-or-two colour printing. Printing the NHS logo Across all your stationery materials, the NHS logo should only be reproduced in NHS Blue (Pantone 300) or, where this is not possible, black. Printing in NHS Blue alone will not deliver the same clarity as black, and for this reason should be avoided. You should also ensure that you use the original artwork from your logotype and do not alter it in any way. 19
Paper stock We recommend that you use good-quality white paper for all NHS print applications, including stationery. This will help you maximise logo clarity and minimise procurement costs. However, there may be instances where audience needs or business requirements make alternative paper stocks necessary. For example, if you are: producing materials for people with visual impairments use yellow paper (with black ink); or producing materials for elderly or disabled people, who often find paper too flimsy to hold, so instead use a stiffer material, particularly if you are supplying location directions. In all cases you should choose a laser-compatible stock. You should also keep environmental issues in mind. Sustainable paper sources, inks and processes will lessen the impact of your printing operations. 20
Letterheads The specifications for producing letterheads are as follows: NHS logo Size: the height for the NHS logo on letterheads is 10mm Position: top-right Colour: NHS Blue (Pantone 300) Provider logo Size: determined by the width of the NHS logo (shown as Y) Position: top-left Colour: organisation s corporate colours, or black Paper stock Colour: white Dimensions: 210 x 297mm Name of Hospital Typeface: Frutiger Bold 21
Colour: black Size: 12 point type Leading: 14 point Position: aligned right Please note: the name may run over one or two lines if necessary. Address, telephone, fax and web address as required Typeface: Frutiger Roman Colour: black Size: 9 point type Leading: 11 point Position: aligned right Please note: you should allow one standard line-space between your address, telephone number, fax number and website address. Accountability information Typeface: Frutiger Roman Colour: black Size: 9 point type Leading: 11 point Position: aligned left Note on fonts 22
When your stationery is printed by a professional printer, you should specify Frutiger for all typesetting. If you are printing stationery from a template in a word-processing package and Frutiger is not available, you can use Arial instead. ECN/FCN post-referral A4 letterhead example 23
Compliments slip The specifications for producing compliment slips are as follows: NHS logo Size: the height for the NHS logo on compliment slips is 8.5mm Position: top-right Colour: NHS Blue (Pantone 300) Provider logo Size: determined by the width of the NHS logo (shown as Y) Position: top-left Colour: organisation s corporate colours, or black Paper stock Colour: white Dimensions: 210 x 100mm Name of hospital Typeface: Frutiger Bold 24
Colour: black Size: 12 point type Leading: 14 point Position: aligned right Please note: the name may run over one or two lines if necessary. Address, telephone, fax and web address as required Typeface: Frutiger Roman Colour: black Size: 9 point type Leading: 11 point Position: aligned right Please note: you should allow one standard line-space between your address, telephone number, fax number and website address. With compliments line Typeface: Frutiger Italic Colour: black Size: 9 point type Leading: 11 point Position: aligned left Accountability information 25
Typeface: Frutiger Roman Colour: black Size: 9 point type Leading: 11 point Position: aligned left ECN/FCN post-referral compliments slip example 26
Stationery checklist Making sure When designing and producing stationery, you should check that: Your NHS logotype is in the top right-hand corner. You have produced your NHS logotype using NHS Blue (Pantone 300) and black no other colours should be used. You have not applied a local design style to your stationery items. You are using Frutiger typeface for all professionally printed stationery items. You are using Arial for items being word-processed and printed via a laser printer. You are keeping your audiences accessibility needs in mind, for instance, the needs of people with visual impairments. You are using white paper (unless yellow paper has been requested locally for readers with visual impairments). 27
Patient information Here we provide guidance on how to brand postreferral patient information materials. By post-referral patient information materials, we mean materials such as pre-operative information packs. Use of the NHS logo You must brand all post-referral patient information materials with both the NHS logo and your provider logo, as shown below. The specifications for branding post-referral patient information materials are as follows: NHS logo Position: top-right Size: should never appear smaller than your provider logo Your provider logo Size: determined by the width of the NHS logo (shown as Y) Please note: X is based on the height of the NHS logo. 28
NHS logo and provider logo visual NHS typefaces and colour palette When developing your patient information materials, you must use the NHS typefaces and colour palette. NHS communications principles All patient information must also support the NHS communication principles. 29
Further help and information If you haven't found the information you're looking for, the FAQs on the NHS Brand Guidelines website may give you the answers. http://www.nhsidentity.nhs.uk/need-help If you need further assistance, please contact the NHS Identity helpline; Telephone: 0207 972 5250 or 0207 972 5251 E-mail: nhs.identity@dh.gsi.gov.uk Other resources NHS Comms Link A secure 'one-stop shop' enabling NHS Communicators to share news, resources, ideas and experiences. http://www.nhscommslink.nhs.uk NHS Picture Library Online resource for the NHS and relates social care organisations http://www.nhs.uk/photolibrary Crown Copyright 2008 Department of Health Branding Team 30