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Department of Health and Social Care: Government Communication Service

Asked by Charlie DewhirstConservativeDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 7 July 2026UIN 15243

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, with reference to the answer of 5 June 2026, to Question 3763o n Government Communications Service: Staff, and of 19 January 2026 to Question 104195 on Government Communication Service: Staff, how many headcount staff in the department are (a) members of the Government Communication Network and (b) are embedded communicators but are not counted as members of the Government Communication Network.

Answered by Stephen Kinnock

In June 2026, the Department had 79 staff working in the Communications Directorate, all of whom are members of the Government Communication Service. the Department’s Communications Directorate covers a broad range of roles including media relations, marketing and branding, public health campaigns, social media, internal communications, and external publishing on the GOV.UK website.

The Department has a further 32 communication specialists embedded within the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities (OHID). These staff work in the OHID Behavioural Programmes Unit on health improvement and prevention, including on cross Government and commercial partnerships and digital behaviour change products. All are members of the Government Communication Service.

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