NHS and HSC brand use

Most patients accessing eye care in the UK have their care funded by the NHS (England, Scotland and Wales) and Health and Social Care (Northern Ireland). This guidance provides an overview on the use of NHS and HSC brand identities in primary and community practice.

If you provide GOS you are encouraged to use the NHS logo [1], providing it meets the requirements laid out in the NHS identity guidelines. The logo can only be used on information that relates solely to NHS services and must comply with specified layout and colour schemes.

• Read NHS guidance on use of the NHS primary care logo.

If you provide NHS eye care under the NHS Standard Contract, General Condition 23.1 states you must “comply with NHS Identity Guidelines”.

• Read NHS brand guidance for third party health care providers.

GOS providers can use the Health and Social Care Logo (HSC) logo: visit HSC identity.

There are no national guidelines, so to use the NHS Scotland logo contact your local Health Board first. If you have any issues surrounding logo use you can contact colleagues at Optometry Scotland for more advice.

If you provide NHS funded eye care you can use the NHS Wales logo, but you must adhere to NHS Corporate Identity Brand Guidelines [2].

Originally published: September 2018

Reviewed: January 2020

Next review date: November 2022

Info: Page updated with additional detail for each country and new links to specific guidance where available.

The next review was originally planned for January 2021. This was changed due to prioritising work during the pandemic.

[1] NHS England, Primary care logo, guidelines state: “whilst primary care contractors are not contractually required to use the NHS Identity, they are encouraged to do so to raise awareness of the NHS services they provide and to signpost patients and the public to them. The exception is pharmacies, which are required to include the NHS logo in their practice leaflets”. https://www.england.nhs.uk/nhsidentity/identity-guidelines/primary-care-logo/ accessed 31 January 2020

[2] NHS Wales, NHS Corporate Identity Brand Guidelines p9 states: “This guidance applies to any organisation, company, contractor or authority which has been commissioned to provide services for, or on behalf of, the NHS in Wales (for example, dentists, optometrists, GPs, contractors or any other service provider). If you have been commissioned to undertake work for NHS in Wales, or offer a service in conjunction with NHS in Wales you may use the NHS in Wales logo on or in your publications, information leaflets, posters and other items; provided that you must do so in accordance with these guidelines.”