Insights

NHS Communications Trainee Scheme Toolkit

11 August 2026

Developed by South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, this toolkit provides practical guidance, resources and templates to help NHS organisations create communications trainee schemes and support a more diverse workforce.

Communications
Race equality
Workforce

NHS Communications Trainee Scheme Toolkit June 26 7.3 MB

Taskforce launches communications toolkit and urges NHS leaders to diversify workforce Health leaders are being asked to rollout communications trainee schemes to create entry routes into the NHS and widen access for people from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds.

The Taskforce for Diversity in NHS Communications, comprising senior leaders from across the public, private and third sectors and chaired by Edna Boampong is is calling for greater diversity and representation across the NHS communications profession through the creation of more trainee and apprenticeship opportunities.

Developed by South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, the Communications Trainee Scheme Toolkit provides practical guidance, resources and templates to help NHS organisations establish their own communications trainee programme. It draws on a successful model that has already delivered positive outcomes, demonstrating how organisations can create sustainable entry routes into communications while developing a more diverse workforce.

When we published Breaking Barriers in July 2025, we called for practical action to create more inclusive routes into NHS communications. A year on, this toolkit is an excellent example of that recommendation becoming reality.

Edna BoampongChair of the Taskforce for Diversity in NHS Communications

We developed this toolkit so NHS organisations do not need to start from scratch. By creating more trainee opportunities, communications leaders from across the country can help build a stronger, more representative profession.

Ranjeet KaileExecutive Director of Communications and Engagement at South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust

By creating meaningful pathways into NHS communications for people from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds, organisations can help build a profession that better reflects the communities they serve. In doing so, they can bring a wider range of perspectives, experiences and skills into communications teams, strengthening engagement with patients, staff, and local communities.