Excellence in Communications – Payers/Policymakers

Summary of work

For years, the number of people with diabetes developing complications has risen and so has the cost to the NHS. And yet, national policy has been disproportionately skewed towards primary prevention, rather than prevention of avoidable complications. An unprecedented financial squeeze on health budgets meant payers were reluctant to make long-term investments in secondary prevention that would take money away from short-term pressures in other parts of the health system. Together, these barriers were leaving hundreds of thousands of patients with diabetes without the appropriate care they needed - and deserved - and costing the healthcare system hundreds of millions of pounds.

Sanofi’s campaign combined thoughtful policy development with effective engagement to the very heart of government. It contributed to forging a consensus among the diabetes community and gave decision-makers the tools and evidence they needed to implement policy change across the health system.

The result: a national policy shift towards secondary prevention, targets to incentivise local improvements and £44 million to transform diabetes treatment and care. This is a campaign that will help to improve the lives of the 2.8 million people living with type 1 and type 2 diabetes in England. There is no stronger verdict for its success.

Judges' comments

This was a extremely thorough programme, looking at all aspects of care and how they could be managed. It has clear objectives and is well structured. They did very well to cut through in a saturated area.