Bringing Branding to Life at Betsi Cadwaladr

Let’s start at the beginning…

When the Minister of Health at the time, Welsh man Aneurin Bevan, spearheaded the creation of the British National Health Service in 1945, I wonder if he had any idea that it would not only become the biggest employer in Europe, but the world’s largest employer of skilled professionals! Inevitably, an organisation of that size, and in ever increasing demand, isn’t without its issues or flaws, but that’s where Just R comes in and the very reason why we exist! At our core, we have a passion to drive positive change to the NHS, and where better to implement our sustainable workforce solutions, than the birthplace of its creator – Wales!

With a shared value of promoting your own area and community (at Just R – we actively support and promote local businesses in Carlisle and Cumbria), it’s unusual for the Welsh Health Board to commission English agencies to provide services, opting to keep things “in-house” so to speak, so we were incredibly honoured when we secured the contract with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, who provide health services to North Wales.

Inspiring landscapes

NHS Wales, alongside the Welsh Tourist board, had already established a hashtag #TrainWorkLive, with lots of material already created and circulated with this work/life balance messaging. We were keen to make our solution cohesive and fit with the content already going out.

During the design phase, our starting point is always undertaking research; culminating in a moodboard of inspiration. North Wales has some amazing landscapes and scenery, which you can’t help but be inspired by, so we knew it had to be a feature. Exploring maps and visual markings within topography, we soon saw similarities and a correlation between mountainous landscapes and heart traces and brain waves. We brought them all together to create the final logo, encompassing everything about Betsi Cadwaladr within these subtle nods. 

With our digital strategy initially consisting of a single Facebook page delivering two strands, one attracting Nurses and the other recruiting to Stroke services, we always knew our employer branding would need to be adaptable. In order to differentiate the two, we assigned individual colour palettes for each, so they created their own identities and would be easily identifiable as separate departments with distinct key messages for potential candidates on social media.

Developing designs

Through continued success, we continue to grow our relationship with Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, further creating campaigns for Pharmacy, CAMHS and Psychiatry. Our initial design has proved to be adaptable to accommodate additional departments (and additional Welsh language versions!), expanding the colour palette but not losing the essence and effectiveness of the original logo design.

Going above and beyond for Betsi Cadwaladr

It was when discussions were being held with the Mental Health and Learning Disabilities team, that we knew we could elevate the branding to a whole new level (918m above sea level in fact!). 

It’s well known that spending time in nature has been found to help with mental health problems such as anxiety and depression. So, with a creative concept in mind, our Video team, Ben Howard and Sam Horton, were willing to go the extra mile to get the shots. Swapping the office for the outdoors, they scaled the steep slopes of Tryfan, along with Rhian Chalk, Deputy Ward Manager on the Ablett Unit of Glan Clwyd Hospital.

With cameras in hand and a drone in the air, not only did they capture some truly terrific shots, but also some invaluable insights in conversations, which have been utilised within our digital advertising campaign.

Foundations for high performance

Behind the scenes, our team understands the importance of laying the groundwork for success. Ben, alongside Amy Cockton, Just R’s Project Manager for the campaign, interviewed potential staff members to take part on the day; creating connections with people who embrace #TrainWorkLive at Betsi Cadwaladr University Healthboard and securing the stars for our next shoot too. 

We have formed real relationships, which in turn means we are able to tell authentic and genuine stories that really bring the organisation to life – something you just don’t get from stock photography. Having an in-house photography and videography team are invaluable to the Just R operation.

The big picture…

At Just R, we never lose sight of the bigger picture and always have this in mind from the outset.

It is never just a singular department of a Trust that faces staffing issues, so we endeavour to build upon all of our client relationships, proposing long-term strategies in order to achieve better together that has maximum impact. 

Whether you’re new to Just R, or have worked with us before, you can trust Just R to deliver projects as if we are members of your extended team. You will be accessing a dedicated, expert team with knowledge in attraction, retention and onboarding, and an in-depth experience of, and love for, our NHS.