Top 7 steps to align communications cross PCNs and ICBs

Effective communication is the backbone of collaboration in healthcare. As Primary Care Networks (PCNs) and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) navigate organisational change, aligning communications becomes essential to deliver consistent messages, strengthen reputation, and build trust with patients, staff, and stakeholders. From my perspective at Grey Sergeant, I see every day how misaligned communications can cause confusion and weaken impact. Equally, I know how structured, well-managed communications can unite diverse organisations under one voice.

Here’s seven steps to align communications across PCNs and ICBs - practical, actionable strategies that strengthen relationships, support patient engagement, and ensure healthcare providers are heard with clarity.

1. Establish a shared communications vision

The first step is creating a shared communications vision across PCNs and ICBs. Without a collective vision, messaging risks becoming fragmented, undermining trust with both patients and stakeholders. By agreeing on common goals, such as transparency, accessibility, and consistency, PCNs and ICBs can ensure all communication activity supports the same overarching purpose.

At Grey Sergeant, I encourage leaders to set a vision that is concise, values-based, and future-focused. This provides the foundation for every other communications activity and helps each organisation see its role within the bigger picture.

2. Build a unified brand narrative

A unified brand narrative helps PCNs and ICBs communicate with one voice. Patients and partners do not always distinguish between different healthcare bodies, so inconsistent narratives can quickly confuse or disengage them. Aligning communications means agreeing on shared themes and tone of voice while still allowing individual PCNs to reflect local character.

For example, an ICB might position itself as the strategic leader while PCNs emphasise their role as community anchors. Together, the story must be cohesive, reinforcing the same vision while highlighting unique contributions.

3. Create clear communication frameworks

To achieve alignment, PCNs and ICBs must go beyond broad principles and put practical frameworks in place. This means setting out:

• Who communicates what, and when

• Which channels are most effective for each audience

• How feedback loops are maintained

A communication framework avoids duplication and ensures consistency across multiple touchpoints. I often advise organisations to create playbooks or toolkits that cover media relations, digital content, and patient engagement so that teams can act quickly and confidently within a shared approach.

4. Strengthen internal communications

Internal communications are often overlooked in favour of external messages, but staff alignment is critical. If GPs, nurses, and administrative teams are unclear or inconsistent, patients notice immediately. Internal communications should therefore be a central focus for PCNs and ICBs.

Regular staff updates, clear briefing materials, and opportunities for feedback all help teams feel engaged and confident in delivering consistent messages. In my experience, the more aligned staff are internally, the stronger the organisation’s reputation becomes externally.

5. Prioritise patient-centred messaging

Alignment across PCNs and ICBs is not just about organisational convenience, it’s about patients. Consistent, accessible, and patient-centred communications reduce confusion and support confidence in new models of care.

Patients want clarity about services, waiting times, and who to contact. By aligning communications, PCNs and ICBs can reduce duplication, ensure accessibility, and demonstrate accountability. This builds trust, which is essential in healthcare reputation management.

6. Leverage data and insights

Data is a powerful tool for communications alignment. By analysing patient feedback, digital engagement metrics, and media coverage, PCNs and ICBs can identify what messages resonate, where gaps exist, and which channels work best.

I encourage healthcare organisations to treat data as an ongoing feedback loop. Insights shouldn’t sit in silos but be shared across networks to inform collective decision-making. When PCNs and ICBs align on data-driven strategies, they communicate with greater relevance, impact, and authority.

7. Establish joint crisis communications protocols

Finally, crisis management is an area where alignment cannot be optional. Whether it’s a service disruption, cyber incident, or public health emergency, inconsistent messages damage trust and can escalate problems.

Joint crisis communications protocols ensure PCNs and ICBs respond quickly and coherently. This includes pre-agreed roles, spokespeople, and escalation routes. Having a shared plan means healthcare leaders can focus on solutions rather than debating messaging in the middle of a crisis.

Conclusion: Alignment Builds Reputation

Aligning communications across PCNs and ICBs isn’t an abstract exercise, it’s a practical necessity for healthcare today. From establishing a shared vision to leveraging data and preparing for crises, every step builds towards stronger reputation management, improved patient trust, and a more united healthcare system.

At Grey Sergeant, I work alongside healthcare leaders to turn these principles into practice. If you want to strengthen your communications alignment, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how tailored strategies can help your organisation thrive.

About the author

Michael O’Connor is a partner at Grey Sergeant, specialising in PR, communications, and engagement across the healthcare and non-profit sectors. Through his consultancy Grey Sergeant, he helps Primary Care Networks, GP Practises, and healthcare organisations define their brand, strengthen their reputation, and communicate with clarity. For more information, contact michael.oconnor@greysergeant.com