InnoScot Health is delighted that its Communications and Engagement team has been shortlisted for the prestigious title of the UK’s ‘In-House PR Team of the Year’

The small team has been singled out by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Excellence Awards — known as “the industry’s leading PR awards scheme” — for its entry entitled ‘Transforming an organisation for optimal engagement’.

InnoScot Health is among a shortlist of eight including Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity, King’s College London, The Met Office, and Companies House.

A glittering awards ceremony will now take place at The Royal Lancaster London on Wednesday 2 July.

CIPR says the Excellence Awards represent an opportunity to “gain global recognition from the world’s only chartered body” and “showcase the impact of your work on business and society”.

It notes that “the most compelling award entries all have one thing in common — they tell a powerful story of creativity, results and impact”.

Executive Chair of InnoScot Health, Graham Watson said: “We are proud to not only be recognised for having one of the UK’s best in-house communications teams, but to be rubbing shoulders with some of the most well-known organisations in the land.

“Being shortlisted by CIPR is a strong demonstration of our entire ethos for NHS innovators — of the power of being able to punch above your weight thanks to unique expertise and experience. We excel in supporting aspirational innovators turn their ideas into reality for patient benefit and then communicating their collaborative successes.

“We are grateful to CIPR for recognising the team’s consistently progressive, inclusive efforts and our ability to amplify them with demonstrable results, making our services invaluable in accelerating NHS-led innovation.”

He added: “Being shortlisted is a huge endorsement of InnoScot Health’s long-established ability to effectively engage the forward thinkers and showcase key healthcare breakthroughs.”

In 2023, the Communications and Engagement team was named a gold award winner at the CIPR PRide Awards for Scotland ahead of fellow nominees Edinburgh City Council and Wheatley Group, again for In-House PR Team of the Year.

That submission focused on the team’s strategic role in delivering a reinvigorated, modern identity to mark the formal NHS partner’s 20th anniversary, including a complete rebrand, in tandem with a new website and engagement channels.

All were launched simultaneously at the 2022 NHS Scotland event — the largest healthcare event in the country.

Judges said the submission had successfully communicated how the team had “helped build the InnoScot Health brand” and had “demonstrated a strong analytical approach towards developing a campaign strategy.”