Reaching Every Role: Inclusivity in NHS Internal Communications
newsletter automation
newsletter automation
In a healthcare system as vast and varied as the NHS, no two staff roles are the same. From frontline clinicians and community health workers to estates teams, night-shift porters, and administrative support, the NHS thrives because of its workforce diversity. Yet this very diversity presents a significant communications challenge: how do we ensure that internal communications reach and resonate with everyone?
As pressures on the NHS increase and digital transformation accelerates, inclusivity in internal communication is more important than ever. Inclusivity is not simply a matter of fairness or equity (though it is certainly that). It is a core enabler of safe, coordinated, and high-performing care.
This theme of inclusive communication is also explored in our article Transforming NHS Workplace Communication: Enhancing Inclusivity, Efficiency and Wellbeing, where we look at how effective internal messaging directly contributes to staff wellbeing and organisational resilience.
The NHS England Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Improvement Plan reinforces this strategic focus, identifying workforce inclusivity as a quality and leadership priority that enables better care and engagement.
While email remains the dominant internal communications channel, it’s clear that a “send-to-all” approach no longer works. Large segments of the NHS workforce are non-desk-based. They may work variable shifts, have limited access to corporate devices, or engage with information in non-digital formats.
These include:
• Healthcare assistants and nurses on wards
• Estates, catering, and domestic staff
• Ambulance and transport staff
• Community workers without regular on-site access
• Night-shift workers with minimal management contact
For these colleagues, a traditional email newsletter may be missed entirely. Worse still, they may feel excluded from organisational dialogue.
A 2025 report by the NHS Breaking Barriers Communications Taskforce highlighted that 26% of Black and Minority Ethnic communications professionals are considering leaving the NHS within the next three years due to exclusion and structural inequity. Inclusive internal communications play a crucial role in reversing this trend.
Building Inclusive Communications
Inclusivity starts with understanding. Segment your workforce not just by department or job title, but by access, digital literacy, and communication preferences. Engage with staff forums, unions, and staff networks to build richer insight.
The Mid and South Essex ICS Communications Strategy further supports this approach, highlighting the need for hyper-local, role-specific messaging that reflects workforce diversity and place-based needs.
There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Combine digital with physical:
• Digital screens in staff rooms and rest areas (as advocated by Sabercom)
• Printed posters and QR codes for quick digital access
• Secure mobile access for clinical teams
• Use of video, voice notes and accessible content formats to reach staff with varied language and literacy needs
Message timing matters. Avoid email dumps during clinical handovers or late-night shifts. Schedule messages to align with staff availability, such as before handovers or shift changes. The NHS Employers’ Seven Steps to Effective Wellbeing Campaigns advise aligning communication delivery to natural workflow touchpoints, ensuring both relevance and engagement.
Feedback is fundamental to inclusion. Offer multiple, low-barrier ways for staff to respond, ask questions, or share views—whether through surveys, message replies, WhatsApp-style channels, or anonymous forms. The Health Research Authority (HRA) shows how lived experience audits can be used to shape more responsive and inclusive internal communication.
Use tools that offer robust analytics to identify where gaps remain. Are night shift colleagues reading updates? Are porters clicking on links? Use this insight to refine your strategy.
Our recent piece, NHS Internal Communications Email Analytics 2024, provides key benchmarks for understanding message performance and where inclusive strategies are most needed.
“NewZapp has transformed our internal communications. Before, we were constantly facing issues with delivery and engagement. Now, not only are our open rates up, but staff engagement with surveys and nominations has skyrocketed. The support team has been fantastic, always there when we need them, making sure everything runs smoothly.”
— Laura Favell, Communications Manager, Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Trusted Delivery was built for the NHS, by people who understand it. We enable organisations to:
• Segment internal communications by location, team, or shift pattern
• Track delivery and engagement across all workforce types
• Schedule messages to suit diverse working patterns
• Integrate non-digital and digital formats securely and compliantly
Our platform ensures that messages aren’t just sent—they’re seen, understood, and acted upon.
For NHS trusts currently navigating legacy platforms and outdated systems, our article From Frustration to Efficiency: Replacing Legacy Systems outlines the pitfalls of sticking with tools that weren’t built for modern NHS realities—and how to transition to solutions like Trusted Delivery.
Looking forward, platforms like Trusted Delivery are well positioned to integrate with ethical NHS AI frameworks, such as the one outlined in the NHS Confederation’s Artificial Intelligence Operating Framework, helping organisations deliver more targeted, adaptive, and inclusive messaging.
Inclusive communication isn’t an optional extra; it’s foundational. When all NHS staff feel informed, included and heard, morale lifts, safety improves, and organisational culture strengthens.
By reaching every role—consistently and meaningfully—we uphold the values of the NHS and ensure that internal communication becomes a bridge, not a barrier.
Want to learn how Trusted Delivery can help you build more inclusive internal communications? Contact us for a demo today.
Inclusive internal communication ensures that messages reach every NHS staff member, regardless of role, shift, location, or access to technology. It means adapting channels, timing, and content so all staff feel informed and engaged.
Non-desk-based staff—including porters, cleaners, healthcare assistants, and night-shift workers—make up a large part of the NHS workforce. Inclusive communication boosts morale, improves safety, and supports better care coordination.
Schedule messages based on staff availability, use mobile-friendly formats, and leverage platforms that allow delivery by shift pattern. Avoid standard 9–5 delivery assumptions.
Platforms like Trusted Delivery support segmentation by role, department, site, and shift. This ensures messages are targeted and relevant for each group of staff.
Effective channels include posters with QR codes, video updates, staff room screens, mobile-optimised emails, and even audio messages for on-the-go consumption.
Inclusive, timely, and two-way communication helps staff feel valued, reduces stress, and encourages trust—leading to higher retention and better team dynamics.
Segmented emails, accessible formats, translated materials, anonymous surveys, and role-specific updates are all part of a best-practice inclusive comms strategy.
Track metrics like open rates, click-throughs, time-of-day responsiveness, and feedback participation. Compare across segments to identify reach gaps.
9. What are the risks of poor internal communication in the NHS?
Inconsistent messaging can lead to staff disengagement, safety issues, resistance to change, and organisational inefficiency.
Trusted Delivery is a platform built for NHS internal communications. It enables secure delivery, message segmentation, analytics, and compliance with NHS Digital Governance—all designed to ensure messages reach and resonate with every role.
NHS England (2023). NHS equality, diversity and inclusion improvement plan. [online] Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/long-read/nhs-equality-diversity-and-inclusion-improvement-plan/ [Accessed 20 Oct. 2025].
NHS Employers (2023). Seven steps to effective health and wellbeing campaigns. [online] Available at: https://www.nhsemployers.org/publications/seven-steps-effective-health-and-wellbeing-campaign [Accessed 20 Oct. 2025].
Sabercom (n.d.). NHS internal communication. [online] Available at: https://www.sabercom.co.uk/nhs-internal-communication/ [Accessed 20 Oct. 2025].
Silicon Practice (2023). Strengthening NHS teams with a robust internal communications strategy. [online] Available at: https://siliconpractice.co.uk/solutions/primary-care/focus-on-primary-care-best-practices/strengthening-nhs-teams-with-a-robust-internal-communications-strategy/ [Accessed 20 Oct. 2025].
Health Research Authority (2024). Equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) – HRA staff: Looking back and planning forwards. [online] Available at: https://www.hra.nhs.uk/about-us/governance/equality-and-diversity/equality-diversity-and-inclusion-edi-hra-staff-looking-back-and-planning-forwards/ [Accessed 20 Oct. 2025].
Mid and South Essex ICS (2024). Communications and engagement strategy 2025–2027. [online] Available at: https://www.midandsouthessex.ics.nhs.uk/publications/communications-and-engagement-strategy-2025-2027/ [Accessed 20 Oct. 2025].
NHS Confederation (2024).
NHS communications artificial intelligence operating framework. [online] Available at: https://www.nhsconfed.org/publications/nhs-communications-artificial-intelligence-operating-framework [Accessed 20 Oct. 2025].
NHS Breaking Barriers Communications Taskforce (2025). Improving diversity in NHS communications. [pdf] Available at: https://www.nhsconfed.org/system/files/2025-07/Breaking-barriers-comms-taskforce_2.pdf [Accessed 20 Oct. 2025].