Vehicles

Vehicles are an essential and very visible item of NHS property. They need to be branded correctly to help people identify our services.

Although vehicles come in all shapes and sizes, the core NHS brand guidelines still apply.

All dedicated vehicles used in the delivery of your services must carry the NHS logo. Non-dedicated vehicles should not carry the NHS logo: these vehicles often undertake non-NHS work and we do not want to mislead the public about their role.

To allow for flexibility, we have provided three vehicle branding options for you to choose from. Choose the option that works best for you, and keep our communications principles in mind at all times.

Non-statutory organisations needing to brand their vehicles should follow option 3 guidance.

Option 1 – using your NHS logotype

Example of a dedicated vehicle carrying your NHS logotype

Option 2 – using your NHS logotype with a description (eg the name of a service)

Example of a dedicated vehicle carrying your NHS logotype with descriptor

Option 3 – using the NHS logo with a description (suitable for non-statutory organisations and shared services)

Please note: when applying the NHS brand to your vehicles, you should not use the NHS logo on its own without an accompanying descriptor.

Example of a dedicated vehicle using the NHS logo with a description

Key points for vehicles

When applying the NHS brand to vehicles, you must:

• Ensure that all vehicles reflect our shared identity: no local design styles can be used.
• 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.
• Set the NHS logo in a clear space and position it top-right (where possible).
• 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 (straight text) in NHS Blue or black when writing descriptor text or other information.
• Avoid placing the NHS logo over a broken background, such as a large join in a vehicle’s side-panelling.

Joint branding

If you are co-branding your vehicles 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 vehicles.

Last updated: 29/04/08