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I’ve been at ZPB for six months now – what have I learned?

by Carwyn Jones


I joined ZPB because the business is really very interesting. It has "magic dust". It’s been six months now. So, what have I learned, and what does this mean for the pharma sector?

My key insights of the first 180 days can be summarised as:


1. Working across health tech, service providers and pharma companies creates a unique proposition


Our clients are varied and interesting. We’re currently working with

  • a digitally-enabled provider of sexual health services for the NHS covering the whole country

  • innovating with digital communications to increase take up of bowel cancer screening amongst the communities least likely to participate in south east London ICS

  • redefining service offering and multi-channel marketing campaigns for a large global private healthcare provider to a UK audience

  • patient engagement programme in rare disease

  • redefining the patient pathway in infectious disease

What this means to pharma is that all of our team bring unique insights and the understanding we have of the network and systems has certainly wowed our pharma clients. Feedback is that this external focus is supporting them to work more effectively with their NHS customers and better understand patients.


2. The network and systems understanding is extremely powerful


Moving on from the first point, I am extremely impressed with the corporate understanding we have of the networks and systems within the NHS – the complexity of how these elements interlink. The knowledge of what the influences are and who the influencers are is valuable.


With most NHS customers focused on reducing waiting times and backlog, we understand the other touch points and connections required. Recent pitches have highlighted this and focused on this as a point of difference.


3. Precision prevention is a thing – how micro-populations and micro-targeting is important for patient engagement


Patient engagement programmes are challenging for pharma. Even with Patient Advocacy Group involvement, they can be difficult to get right. Programmes we have run with ICS communication teams such as COVID Vaccine Facts, with SE London ICS, highlighted the aspects of true insight led communications and micro-targeting to drive health equality.


This element of obsessively ensuring insights across all key social demographics has resonated with pharma looking at eradicating health inequalities across their patient engagement.


4. Our staff are clever


With around twenty staff, I am continually impressed with our team. Grabbing hold of opportunities, being willing to lead, asking for help when appropriate, and getting stuff done.


Most importantly, doing more and thinking more – going above and beyond and delivering over the expectation. Thinking about the impact on our customers and the impact on patients is great to observe.


If you want to know more, please get in touch.


Carwyn Jones - Chief Commercial Officer

carwyn.jones@zpb-associates.com

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