Excellence in Healthcare Collaboration and Partnerships

Summary of work

Members of the Advisory Group on Contraception (AGC) had growing anecdotal evidence of the impact of public health cuts to contraceptive care and services, but had little hard data on what was happening across England. With pressures throughout the NHS system, public debate was focused on hospitals and ‘sickness’ rather than life impacting, preventative interventions such as contraception. The AGC recognised that new, robust data was essential to allow them to work together to bring cuts to contraceptive access to the attention of national and local policymakers and show unity across the contraceptive community.

A major impact report was created utilising findings from 11 Freedom of Information requests to councils and the resources and expertise within the AGC. The report and its findings brought together the contraceptive community behind a shared set of arguments and evidence and generated significant coverage on the BBC and numerous media outlets. It allowed AGC members - collectively and individually - to demonstrate the impact of public health cuts on women to key audiences and created a strong platform to increase engagement with local areas and parliamentarians. It also strengthened the sustainability of the group by encouraging a new sponsor to join the AGC.

Judges' comments

This was a very strong piece of work and well executed at every stage. It targeted something that is an ongoing problem, but for which it is difficult to generate attention. So to develop a decent news hook, get results and do so via a genuine collaboration was a real win.