Another parliament, another plan to tackle the challenges in delivering health and social care in England. The NHS’s newly unveiled 10-Year Plan, “Fit for the Future”, is more than a strategic blueprint - it’s a signal of systemic change. For pharmaceutical companies, the implications are profound. As the NHS pivots towards preventative, digital-first care and community-based models, pharma must rethink not just what it communicates, but how, where, and to whom.
At Four, we work at the intersection of healthcare policy, public engagement and pharmaceutical innovation. Here’s our take on what this plan means for pharma communications - and how the industry must evolve to lead with relevance, responsibility and impact.
1. From product to partner in population health
The plan’s clear pivot towards prevention and integrated care shifts the focus from treatment to long-term health outcomes. This opens the door for pharma to redefine itself - not just as a provider of medicines, but as a strategic partner in improving population health.
Communications implications:
- Narratives of value must evolve - moving beyond product efficacy to real-world impact on population health
- Collaborative storytelling with the NHS, charities and community groups can build shared narratives that highlight common goals
- Evidence-led campaigns should prove value beyond the pill, highlighting contributions to prevention, early diagnosis and health equity.
2. Digital-first NHS, digital pharma
With the NHS doubling down on digital triage, virtual care and smart diagnostics, pharma must accelerate its digital game, and fast.
What this means:
- Omnichannel HCP engagement must deliver personalised, data-driven engagement, embedded into clinical workflows
- Patient support programmes need to be reimagined as digital-first experiences, grounded in accessibility and usability
- Content strategies must align with NHS digital ecosystems - from the NHS App to local ICS-level tools.
At Four, we’re already helping clients navigate this evolution with digital ecosystems that are compliant, compelling and clinically relevant.
3. National brands, local relevance
Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) are now the engines of NHS delivery. For pharma, this means national strategies must pivot to local needs - and communications must follow.
What this means:
- Localised messaging that mirrors regional health priorities, demographics, and inequalities
- Stakeholder mapping at ICS level to understand who influences decisions and how to engage with them
- Community engagement strategies that build trust and show presence, not just presence of a product.
4. Trust and transparency
The plan doubles down on transparency, patient empowerment and co-creation. It raises the bar for all healthcare communications. For pharma, this raises the stakes for all healthcare communications.
Strategic priorities:
- Plain language communications which is jargon-free and demystifies complex science and regulation
- Proactive reputation management that tackles head-on public concerns over cost, access and equity
- Authentic patient partnerships that go beyond tokenism to co-create solutions, not just stories.
5. Behaviour change at scale
As prevention takes centre stage, pharma has a unique opportunity to apply its behavioural science and campaign muscle to scale health promotion efforts.
Communications opportunities:
- Awareness campaigns that drive early detection and lifestyle change
- Behavioural insights to inform campaign design that nudges behaviour and tracks real world outcomes
- Cross-sector collaboration with tech, retail and education to embed health into everyday life.
Conclusion: A new era of pharma communications?
The NHS 10-Year Plan is a turning point. But to seize the moment, pharma must go beyond repositioning, it must re-earn its relevance not just in what it delivers, but in how it communicates. At Four, we believe the most successful pharma brands of the next decade will be those that:
- Speak with clarity and compassion
- Act with purpose and partnership
- Engage with agility and authenticity.
We’re ready to help you lead that change.
Let’s have a conversation about how we can shape the future of health together.
Sarah Hart, director of health communications
Contact: Sarah.Hart@four.agency