Freshwater’s health and social care team of communications professionals have considerable in-house and consultancy experience and work daily with health and public services organisations around the country.
Our key consultants include:
John Underwood, executive director
John founded Freshwater Healthcare (formally clear) in 1991. He was director of communication for the Labour Party and an award-winning TV reporter and presenter for the BBC, ITV and Channel Four. He now specialises in the field of reputation management, providing communications strategy, media relations, stakeholder engagement and crisis and issues management expertise to public sector organisations. John is an Honorary Professor of Communication at the University of Glasgow, a guest lecturer on the NHS London / King’s Fund Board Leadership Programme for NHS Chairs and Non-Executive Directors, a visiting lecturer at the Institute of Applied Leadership at Buckinghamshire New University and director of The Centre for Health Communication Research and Excellence at Buckinghamshire New University.
Louisa Desborough, divisional director
Louisa Desborough is a strategic communication specialist who has advised health and social care organisations for almost a decade. She has developed and overseen complex communication projects involving multiple agencies and is experienced in all aspects of reputation management. She has developed and implemented many national PR and marketing campaigns and audience research projects and has significant crisis and issues management experience. Louisa holds an Open University certificate in Social Marketing.
News
Freshwater health campaign wins national PR award
Freshwater's "Invisible Death Row" organ donation campaign wins Best Integrated Campaign at the 2011 CIPR Excellence Awards.
Freshwater Director heads up new Centre for Health Communication Research
Freshwater's executive director John Underwood has been appointed director of a new academic research centre
Freshwater piloting student alcohol consumption campaign
Freshwater has been appointed by Drinkaware, NUS Wales and the Welsh Government
Freshwater to support launch of groundbreaking NHS efficiency toolkit
Freshwater is working for the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement