Contact information

Newsdesk

Chief Press Officer, Kirsty Gelsthorpe - 020 7210 5738

Senior Press Officer, James Hotson - 020 7210 5222

Press Officer, Julia Harris - 020 7210 5221

Press Officer, Lydia Martin - 020 7210 5221

Press Officer, Adam Joyce - 020 7210 5221

Press Officer, Joanna Humphrey - 020 7210 5221

Media Officer, 020 7210 4939

NHS Health services team

Chief Press Officer, Juliette Marshall - 020 7210 5317

Responsible for the policy portfolios of Simon Burns and Lord Howe. The team also leads on media relations for David Nicholson, Chief Executive of the NHS and his senior leadership team.

Media Officer, Nadina Mustafa - 020 7210 5239

NHS desk (Lord Howe)

Media handling advisors for Lord Howe, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Quality (Lords)

Media handling advice for policy on:
NHS Constitution; NHS Commissioning Reform including NHS Board, Improving Health Outcomes, HealthWatch, Quipp, Quality Framework and Specialised Commissioning; Primary Care including GP Contract, Out of Hours, Dentistry and Optical Services; Medicines, Pharmacy and Industry including work with the MHRA and NICE; R&D; Innovation; Finance including DEL & spending review and PCT allocations; Arm’s Length Bodies.

Senior Press Officer, Anna Litherland - 020 7210 4990

Press Officer, Maria Mansfeld - 020 7210 5301

Press Officer, Peter Donelan - 020 7210 5281

NHS desk (Simon Burns)

Media handling advice for Simon Burns, Minister of State for Health

Media handling advice for policy on: NHS Financial, performance and capital funding; Health service including community services, acute services, emergency & urgent care, cardiac, stroke & renal; reconfiguration; veterans’ health; patient safety including HCAIs and work with NPSA; Patient experience; NHS Litigation; Quality regulation including work with CQC; Economic regulation including work with Monitor; NHS Workforce including pay & pensions; NHS Estates including mixed sex accommodation; Connecting for Health; Counter Fraud & Security Management; Injury Cost Recovery Scheme; NHS Income Generation & NHS Appointments; Hospital Travel Costs; Procurement including ISTCs.

Senior Press Officer -

Press Officer, Emma Smyth - 020 7210 5375

Press Officer, Suzannah Brookner - 020 7210 5010

Press Officer, Ed Smith - 020 7210 5435

Public health and Social Care team

Chief Press Officer, Jane Garvan - 020 7210 5197

Media Officer, Suzanne O'Brien - 020 7210 5656

Responsible for policy portfolios of Paul Burstow and Anne Milton as well as media relations for the Chief Medical Officer and all health matters relating to emergency preparedness.

Public Health desk

Media advisors for Anne Milton, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Public Health

Media handling advice for policy on: Public health including health improvement & protection, health inequalities, communicable diseases; Emergency preparedness; Vaccination and immunisation; Blood & transplants; Pathology; Ethics; Fertility & embryology; Sexual health; Genetics & biotechnology; Fluoridation; Tobacco, drugs & alcohol; Food including diet & nutrition; Complementary and alternative medicines; International & EU matters; Asylum seekers’ health; Children’s health; Maternity Services; Nursing & Midwifery; Health visiting; Professional Regulation; Medical Education & Training.

Senior Press Officer, Judith Moore - 020 7210 5649

Senior Press Officer, Shaun Whelan - 020 7210 5658

Press Officer, Nick Johnson - 020 7210 5623

Press Officer, Shumon Rahman - 020 7210 5231

Social care desk

Media advisors for Paul Burstow, Minister of State for Care Services

Media handling advice for policy on: Long-term care reform; Adult social care; Social care finance, workforce, professional regulation & inspection; Personal health budgets; Continuing care & carers; Safeguarding vulnerable adults; Care for the elderly; Malnutrition; End of life care; Long-term conditions including cancer and diabetes; Audiology; Dementia; Mental health including CAMHS; Physical disabilities; Autism & learning disabilities; Third Sector.

Senior Press Officer, Sharan Chaggar - 020 7210 5329

Press Officer, Katrina Coutts - 020 7210 5724

Press Officer, Sarah Read - 020 7210 5472

Strategic Planning team

Responsible for scheduling all Department of Health announcements and related business, including monitoring business generated by external organisations.

Senior Planning Officer, Emily Brown - 020 7210 5290

Planning Officer, Glenn Covacic - 020 7210 4984

Commissioning and regional team

Commissioning and delivering proactive regional and consumer media relations activities across all policy areas.

Chief Press Officer, Jennie Hay - 020 7210 5224

Senior Press Officer (Consumer portfolio), Alison Langley - 020 7210 5947

Senior Press Officer (Regional portfolio), Niken Wresniwiro - 020 7210 5962

Press Officer, Alex Macdonald - 020 7210 5282

NHS Connecting for Health/Informatics team

Responsible for promoting the provision of more information for patients to enable greater control over their healthcare, through the use of modern technology and services like NHS Choices. Also managing the media for NHS IT which supports healthcare professionals and patients in delivering healthcare, including telehealth and telecare technology.  Includes the National Information Governance Board which advises on confidentiality and information security issues.

Head of Media Relations, Eileen Phillips - 020 7969 5924

Chief Press Officer, Briony Bowen - 020 7004 1507

Chief Press Officer, Omar Qirem - 020 7210 5081

Senior Press Officer, Deepa Shah - 020 7004 1503

Speeches team

Writing major speeches for Department of Health’s senior ministers, improving speechwriting and writing skills across the department.

Speechwriter, 020 7210 5238

Speechwriter, Mark Morris - 020 7210 4982

Speechwriter, Robert Coppin - 020 7210 5447

Operations support and admin

Operations Support Manager, Esther Clarke - 020 7210 5004

Admin and IT support to the Press Office including arranging press briefings, distribution of press notices and statements, amending and maintaining contact lists, provision of newspaper cuttings, specialist magazines and broadcast footage.