HEALTH
Turning health expertise into public understanding and positive action.
Image: Photoshoot with Marlborough Primary Health Chief Executive Beth Tester.
Behind-the-scenes support for the critical frontline.
Clear, trusted communication about health is crucial to helping people understand what matters for their health and to help them make informed decisions.
Health organisations in Te Tauihu o te Waka-a-Māui comprise an integrated system serving urban, rural and remote communities in the Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough regions. Publik’s health communications expertise comes from more than a decade of in-house department experience and consultancy project support working with these leading health organisations.
We provide communications services across the board, including strategic external, internal and stakeholder communications, social marketing campaigns, media training and communications channel development services to national, primary and community healthcare providers
If you have a campaign or project that needs expert communications and marketing and a strong health sector understanding, contact us at Publik.
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Image: Health sector leaders, MP for Kaikōura Stuart Smith, and the Minister of Health Simeon Brown at the opening of Tātari Toto haemodialysis unit in Blenheim in 2026.
A workforce we're proud to work with.
We are proud to work behind-the-scenes with some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s hardest-working frontline workers making a positive difference in people’s lives every day.
Publik health clients include Te Piki Oranga, Marlborough Primary Health Organisation, Nelson Bays Primary Health Organisation and Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora.
Publik’s health sector work has included developing social marketing campaigns that encourage people to choose the right healthcare and return unused medicines for safe disposal. We’ve implemented PR and communications plans to support organisational milestones such as mergers and relocations, and led stakeholder and media plans for the launch of new facilities and services. We’ve also upgraded healthcare providers’ websites to improve the user experience and optimise them for AI and search engines.
We support chief executives, board chairs and senior managers with media training and proactive and reactive media engagement.
Our work also includes producing a wide range of communications materials – from print collateral and annual reports to infographics, video and animation – as well as preparing funding applications and explainers, and advising on strategic positioning to catch and hold funders’ attention.
With more than a decade of experience in the health sector and a full-service team across public relations, communications, marketing, digital and design, we are ready to elevate your interactions with a wide variety of people. In particular, Stephanie Gray adds to Publik’s kete of health sector knowledge, having led communications for Nelson Marlborough Health (now Health New Zealand – Nelson Marlborough) for six years, spanning the Covid-19 pandemic and the start of the largest government health reforms in 20 years.
See below for examples of how we can help, or jump straight to (just some of) our client work.
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STRATEGY AND PLANNNG
Communications and marketing strategies:
Developing annual communications and marketing strategies for healthcare providers.
Creating PR and communications plans for new or changing services, facilities and structures.
Developing corporate communications for major announcements and developments.
Providing internal communications support for organisational development and change.
Pictured: Te Piki Oranga Pou Taki Carl Baker delivering whaikōrero at the opening of the new Whakatū Hauora Hub, 2026.
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YOUR ONLINE FOOTPRINT
New website builds, refreshes and management:
Building new websites and refreshing existing sites for improved user experiences.
Ongoing site management and optimisation – content, technical maintenance and conversion improvements – to keep your site working hard for you.
Providing SEO and AEO strategies to ensure you're found by traditional search and AI-driven search alike.
Tracking analytics and conversions, so you always know what's actually working.
Providing guidance and content for your inhouse web team.
Pictured: Te Piki Oranga website.
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GETTING SOCIAL
Achieving transparency about public healthcare services and appealing to hearts and minds:
Designing cost-effective social marketing campaigns to encourage people to make positive changes in their lives.
Drafting and designing informative posts and explainers about healthcare services.
Monitoring client Meta accounts and assisting with timely responses to comments.
Creating targeted staff recruitment campaigns.
Pictured: The Marlborough PHO social campaign explaining the services roadmap.
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MEDIA RELATIONS AND TRAINING
Achieving positive and balanced media coverage:
Building relationships with reporters and writers, to inform them and facilitate stories.
Providing media relations support to the sector’s leaders and service managers.
Drafting reactive responses to media on issues as they arise, in a fast turnaround media environment.
Providing one-off and regular media training for healthcare leaders, to ensure they make the most of their media opportunities.
Hosting media at events, ensuring they get what they need.
Pictured: Media coverage of Sealord Chief Executive Doug Paulin and Te Piki Oranga Tumu Whakarae Anne Hobby annoucing Sealord’s new sponsorship.
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NEWSLETTERS AND PUBLICATIONS
Writing and producing print and digital products:
Planning, writing and designing documents such as Annual Reports and Strategic Plans.
Writing and designing public engagement documents.
Writing, editing and proof-reading newsletters as part of coordinated content plans.
Producing quarterly magazines.
Matariki annual desktop and wall calendars.
Pictured: Te Piki Oranga’s Strategic Plan 2023-2026.
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INFOGRAPHICS AND GRAPHIC DESIGN
Making health topics easy to understand:
Designing content that informs, explains and captures hearts and minds.
Producing and updating infographics and fact sheets.
Designing appealing, practical corporate collateral; calendars, wall planners and more.
Designing eye-catching advertising that strengthens brand awareness, informs people about healthcare services and inspires them to consider making positive lifestyle changes.
Pictured: Infographics explaining Te Piki Oranga’s achievements-at-a-glance.
HEALTHCARE HIGHLIGHTS
From media management to social marketing campaigns, see below how we love shining a positive light on the hard-working healthcare sector.
Community newspaper advertising for Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora 'Return Unused Medicines' campaign.
Social media ads for Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora 'Return Unused Medicines' campaign.
Marlborough Primary Health Chief Executive Beth Tester being interviewed by RNZ at the opening of Tātari Toto haemodialysis unit in January 2026.
Te Piki Orang's relocation communications for Whakatū and Wairau hauora hubs.
Celebrating Marlborough Primary Health and Nelson Bays Primary Health milestones with media coverage across national and regional outlets.
Eye-catching and easy to follow print collateral for Marlborough Primary Health 'Choose the Right Care' campaign.
Te Piki Oranga stories in national and regional media outlets achieved transparency about funding and inspired people to use healthcare services they are eligible for.
Fridge magnets for Marlborough Primary Health's 'Choose the Right Care' campaign.
A unique Matariki 13-month desk calendar full of bite-sized information about Te Piki Oranga, featuring artwork by Neyrs Ngaruhe.
The ope arriving at Te Piki Oranga's Whakatū Hauroa Hub for the opening pōwhiri. Publik led communications and media planning and activity for the new hub.
Marlborough Primary Health Chief Executive Beth Tester delivers whaikōrero at the opening of Tātari Toto haemodialysis unit. Seated to her left, Health Minister Hon Simeon Brown.
Publik helps Te Piki Oranga stay in touch with its communities through balanced, informative media coverage.
Documenting a milestone for Te Piki Oranga (TPO) through media coverage and stakeholder comms. In attendance at the dawn blessing for the new Wairau Hauora Hub in Blenheim, from left: Marlborough Mayor Nadine Taylor, TPO Pūkenga Kaiwhakahaere Ricky Carr, and TPO Tumu Whakarae Anne Hobby with an artwork gifted by Te Rūnanga a Rangitāne o Wairau.
A unique Matariki wall calendar printed on high-quality card and made to last for several years. When the calendar year ended, the other side of the calendar can be used as a Matariki poster, featuring artwork by Nerys Ngaruhe.
Marlborough Primary Health and Nelson Bays Primary Health celebrated milestones with media coverage across national and regional outlets.
Te Piki Oranga's strategic plan, designed to inspire and inform stakeholders, from government funders to kaimahi.
An example of graphic design in Te Piki Oranga's annual report.
Te Piki Oranga community newspaper advertising designed to inspire people to make the first big step towards quitting smoking.
Achieving transparency and celebrating milestones with media coverage across national and regional outlets for Marlborough Primary Health.
A tohu (logo) designed for Te Piki Oranga 10th anniversary. This was used as a commemorative badge and on publications for that year.
Looking for something else?
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STRATEGIC PLANNING
Communications and marketing strategies:
Annual communications and marketing strategies for healthcare providers.
PR and communications plans for new or changing services, facilities and structures.
Corporate communications for major announcements and developments.
Internal communications support for organisational development and change.
Pictured: Te Piki Oranga Pou Taki Carl Baker delivering whaikōrero at the opening of the new Whakatū Hauora Hub, 2026.
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WEBSITE AND DIGITAL
New website builds, refreshes and management:
New website builds to improve user experiences, functionality and a website user’s health literacy.
The latest techniqiues to ensure clients’ digital content is optimised for, and found by, AI and other search tools.
Regular structural and content updates of clients’ existing websites.
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SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGY
Achieving transparency about public healthcare services and appealing to hearts and minds:
Social marketing campaigns to encourage people to make positive differences in their lives.
Informative posts and explainers about healthcare services.
Monitoring client Meta accounts and assisting with timely responses to comments.
Targeted staff recruitment campaigns.
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MEDIA RELATIONS
Achieving positive and balanced media coverage:
Building relationships with reporters and writers, to inform them and facilitate stories.
Media relations support to the sector’s leaders and service managers.
Reactive responses to media on issues as they arise, in a fast turnaround media environment.
One-off and regular media training for healthcare leaders, to ensure they make the most of their media opportunities.
Hosting media at events, ensuring they get what they need.
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NEWSLETTERS AND PRINT
Writing and producing print and digital products:
Annual reports and strategic plans
Quarterly magazines
Email newsletters
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GRAPHIC DESIGN
Making health topics easy to understand
Designing content that informs, explains and captures hearts and minds.
Producing and updating infographics and fact sheets.
Designing appealing, practical corporate collateral; calendars, wall planners and more.
OUR ESTEEMED HEALTH CLIENTS
Over the years we have had the privilege to work with some incredible healthcare leaders.
“I’ve worked with Steph, Jamie, and the team at Publik for the last few years, although the relationship between Te Piki Oranga and Publik goes back more than five years.
What I appreciate most is that it genuinely feels like a partnership. The team listens to us; understands the direction we want to take and works alongside us rather than coming in and telling us what our communications should look like. They understand how important it is that our kaupapa, tikanga Māori and whānau-centred way of working are reflected in what we put out into the world.
Having Publik alongside us also makes a real difference to our workload. Like many kaupapa Māori organisations, our kaimahi can wear multiple hats, so being able to draw on a team we know, and trust takes some of that pressure away and gives us more space to focus on the other mahi that needs our attention.
Steph and I have built a really good working relationship over the years. We can have open conversations about what we need, what our priorities are and how we can make things work within our budget. We’ve found ways of working that are cost-conscious for Te Piki Oranga while still getting the benefit of the great mahi and expertise the Publik team brings.
For me, that is where the real value of the relationship sits. Publik has taken the time to understand Te Piki Oranga, our kaupapa and our whānau, and they feel like an extension of our team when we need them.”
Rachelle Tauroa, Te Piki Oranga
Kamātai Hangarau | Technical Systems & Support Specialist
LET’S WORK TOGETHER
