Forster Communications to promote volunteering in the NHS

HelpForce, a new organisation which helps maximise the use of volunteers to assist NHS staff, has appointed Forster Communications to manage its positioning and voice.

Forster will provide comms strategy and stakeholder engagement services in 2018, supporting HelpForce as it attempts to double the number of volunteers working in the NHS by 2021.

The agency will highlight how volunteer work benefits NHS patients, health and social care services, charities, volunteers themselves and the community as whole.

It will work in partnership with organisations including NHS England, Royal Voluntary Service, British Red Cross and the NHS Trusts that are running HelpForce pilot programmes.

Forster CEO Amanda Powell-Smith will lead the account.

Paddy Hanrahan, HelpForce’s managing director, said: “Forster has a strong track record in healthcare communications and, following their recent success in launching us to the media, we are excited about what we can achieve together over the next year.”

Powell-Smith added: “With growing strain on the NHS, there is an urgent need to ensure the benefits of NHS staff-led volunteer teams are shared and scaled as fast as possible.

“HelpForce is an exciting combination of innovation and common sense that can make a significant contribution to vital healthcare challenges.”