NEWS & BLOGS

From the doorstep politics of Makerfield to national leadership contenders, this blog reflects on what Starmer, Streeting and Burnham’s records say about their commitment to community voice, consultation and meaningful engagement.

A tour through the jargon of engagement that shows how lived experience, listening, consultation and co production all fit together — and why doing them openly, respectfully and accessibly is what really counts.

The importance of ‘making friends’ with whoever owns your digital channels Are your digital channels working for engagement or just working? There's a pattern we see regularly when reviewing digital engagement strategy for public sector organisations. Digital channels exist, usually managed by someone in the communications team, and they share numbers as a measure of success. Yet the engagement professionals – the people whose job it is to understand communities, gather insig

We hear this a lot from public sector teams. Think about the last time you heard about a local service change, or something that had people frustrated in your community. Where did you find out? Chances are, you saw it online somewhere - a Facebook group, a comment thread, a post shared by someone in your network. That's not a coincidence. Conversations about organisations are happening continuously online, whether those organisations are present or not. Only a very small port

If people can’t access your communication, can they really engage? A reflection on accessibility, trust, and inclusive engagement practice.

NHS reforms risk erasing community memory—the trusted relationships engagement teams have built with marginalised groups. As staff and structures disappear, these connections can’t simply be handed over, and weakened engagement will deepen health inequalities. Without deliberate planning and continuity, much of this hard‑won trust may be lost.

Continuous engagement and meaningful listening means meeting people where they are and paying attention to what they are telling you, regardless of the means they use, including flag flying.

Rebuilding trust in maternity services requires continuous engagement, inclusive digital infrastructure and action on health inequalities.

What the 2026 GP contract means for patient access, communication and engagement, and why meaningful listening must sit alongside digital reform in primary care.