Badges

Badges are a good way of communicating your role and the roles of your colleagues to patients.

When producing badges, you need to show clearly the name and job description of the wearer. In addition to these written descriptions, you should also include either your NHS logotype or the NHS logo, as shown below. You can also use photographs, if necessary.

Please note: the NHS logo is a registered trademark and can only be used with the permission of an NHS organisation. Printers and suppliers of NHS badges/lanyards should not hold stock items, but instead print to order once comissioned by a NHS organistation.

Key points for creating badges

When creating NHS badges, you must:

• Only use an original digital graphics file for the NHS logo or your local logotype. You can download the NHS logo from this website. Your local logotype will be available from your communications team.
• Follow the general rules for positioning, sizing and use of the exclusion zone set out in these brand guidelines. If this is not possible, follow the spirit of the guidelines as closely as you can.
• Use Frutiger Roman or Frutiger Bold in NHS Blue (Pantone® 300), black or white when writing your descriptor text or other information.

Joint branding

 If you are producing co-branded badges with another organisation, and if both your organisation logotypes need to appear, you should only use the NHS logo once.

If you are using a pre-NHS shield or crest, you should reproduce it in either black or white – or, costs permitting, in full-colour. Remember – no other logos can be used on NHS badges.

Badge specifications

The specifications for NHS badges and NHS logo and your local logotype badges are as follows:

NHS logo badge example

NHS logo and your local logotype badge example

The specification for badges is:

• Height of the NHS logo: 5mm
• Position: top right-hand corner of your badge, as shown
• Colour of the NHS logo: NHS Blue

Staff names

When writing staff names on badges, you should use:

• Typeface: Frutiger Bold
• Size: 14 point type
• Leading: 16 point
• Position: right aligned
• Colour: black

Centre/service name

When writing the name of your centre/service on badges, you should use:

• Typeface: Frutiger Bold
• Size: 9 point type
• Leading: 11 point
• Position: right aligned
• Colour: black

Use one line for your centre/service title, or two lines if this title is longer than a single word.

 Job titles

When writing job titles on badges, you should use:

• Typeface: Frutiger Roman
• Size: 14 point type
• Leading: 16 point
• Position: right aligned
• Colour: black

Non-statutory organisations

For non-statutory organisations that want to brand badges, follow the same guidance set out here.

Last updated: 29/04/08