The London-based agency is bringing in Jon Spiers, Cancer Research UK’s head of public affairs and campaigning, to head up a new division.
Jennie Talman, Just Health’s managing director, said that the move into public affairs and policy was an investment in an area that is ‘increasingly important’ to clients in the health space.
Last week, the Government’s controversial NHS reform plans were given a boost when the House of Lords voted to give a second reading of the Health and Social Care Bill.
‘Communicating about health is an increasingly complex task requiring an intimate understanding of both stakeholders and environment,’ said Talman. ‘Our move into public affairs and policy will enrich our understanding of healthcare decision-making at local, regional and national level.’
Spiers will join Just Health in January 2012 to spearhead the expansion into public affairs. He has led public affairs and campaigning at Cancer Research UK for the past eight years. During his time at the cancer charity, he worked on a number of high profile campaigns including securing the legislation that saw cigarettes placed out of sight in shops across the UK.
Just Health has also hired Harriet Smith from Munro & Forster to support the agency’s new business offering. Smith will join the agency as a consultant in November and will be working directly with Spiers on growing the agency’s public affairs and policy work.
Just Health was ranked seventh in PRWeek’s Top 25 Healthcare Consultancies league table for 2011.
