Reaching Communities Through Sound: NHS Audio Advertising with Bauer Media
In 2025, the NHS in the UK has increasingly embraced audio advertising to enhance public health communication and engagement. Here’s how…
- Inform the public
- Develop trust and rapport
- Utilise hyper-targeted advertising
- Boost engagement
- Create flexible advertising campaigns
Audio reaches millions of listeners daily, at home, on the go, and across digital devices, allowing the NHS to deliver public health messages clearly, locally, and at scale.
Why Audio Advertising Works for the NHS
Audio is one of the most trusted, cost-effective, and flexible ways to reach people in their daily lives — whether they’re commuting, cooking dinner, or listening through headphones during a walk.
Here’s why NHS marketers are increasingly turning to radio and digital audio:
- Unmatched Trust: Radio is the most trusted form of media in the UK — more than social media, TV, or online platforms (source: EBU Trust in Media Report).
- Massive Reach: Bauer Media reaches over 23 million listeners every week, with local stations covering every region of the UK.
- Precision Targeting: With Digital Audio, we can target by postcode, age, gender, and interests, ensuring your message gets to the right people.
- Fast Turnaround: Our in-house Bauer Create team can script, voice, and produce your audio quickly, whether you need an urgent Covid booster message or a recruitment drive launched within days.
- Measurable Impact: Track engagement, listen-through rates, impressions, and reach — all delivered in a clear campaign report.
NHS Campaigns That Belong on Audio
Breast Cancer Screening
Your first-ever campaign to boost screening attendance deserves to be heard, radio and digital audio can reassure, remind, and guide women directly.
Youth Health (Vaping, HPV, Sexual Health)
Audio platforms like KISS and heat help you reach young adults with real, relatable voices—not government warnings.
Bowel Cancer Awareness
National messages, local resonance, audio offers consistent reach with regional flexibility for urgent cancer screening promotion.
Smoke-Free
Audio is intimate and personal—the perfect space to encourage a life-changing quit journey supported by the NHS Quit Smoking App.
NHS Recruitment
Attract future nurses, paramedics and GPs by sharing real NHS voices and stories—audio builds pride, trust and purpose.
Digital Services – NHS App & Virtual GP
Use audio to promote the convenience of digital health—build trust in technology with human voices.
NHS 111 – “Help Us Help You”
A clear message on where to turn. Audio reaches busy parents and under-35s at the right time with calm, trustworthy advice. Pointing them in the right direction for help and advice via 111.
MMR & Measles Awareness
With childhood vaccination rates falling, audio gives you access to family-focused stations and trusted presenter voices.
Mental Health and Wellbeing
Whether it’s suicide prevention, workplace wellbeing, or talking therapy access—audio lets people hear they’re not alone.
Blood Pressure Checks
A simple reminder on air can lead to early detection and prevention—particularly powerful with older listeners and carers.
Abdominal & Urological Cancer Awareness
Discreet, respectful and effective—audio helps you talk about sensitive symptoms in a trusted tone that prompts action.
NHS Case Studies
NHS – Covid & Flu 2024 Digital Audio Campaign
Campaign Period: 30 September – 15 December 2024
Platform: Bauer Digital Audio
Performance Highlights:
Impressions Delivered: 83,341 (vs. 83,333 booked – slight over delivery)
Listen Through Rate (LTR): 99.27% (exceptionally high)
Unique People Reached: 22,462
Summary:
This campaign successfully utilised Bauer’s digital audio network to deliver critical Covid and flu vaccination messaging across targeted audiences. With a near-perfect listen-through rate of 99.27%, the creative content proved highly engaging and well-suited to the audio format. The campaign slightly overdelivered on impressions, ensuring maximum value and reach across the key winter period.
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde – Digital Audio Campaign
Campaign Period: 28 January – 7 February 2025
Platform: Bauer Digital Audio
Performance Highlights:
Impressions Delivered: 62,430 (vs. 54,166 booked – strong overdeliver)
Listen Through Rate (LTR): 99.11% (excellent engagement)
Unique People Reached: 35,052
Summary:
This short-run digital audio campaign exceeded expectations, delivering over 15% more impressions than planned and reaching over 35,000 unique listeners. With a high listen-through rate of 99.11%, the audio content was compelling and well-aligned with the audience, making it an impactful way to deliver important NHS messaging to the Greater Glasgow & Clyde region.
NHS Greater Manchester – Video & Social Media Campaign
Campaign Period: 17 February – 17 March 2025
Channels: Social Media (Facebook, Instagram), YouTube, Hits Radio Manchester website
Performance Highlights:
This multi-platform campaign delivered:
- 193,043 video plays with a 52% hook rate
- 235,507 impressions and 6,240 clicks across Facebook & Instagram
- 68,500 YouTube views with a 53.17% view rate
- 4,376 total page views on 11 campaign-specific web pages
Summary:
This campaign successfully maximised visibility across Greater Manchester, combining high-impact video, social media, and web placements. The creative was highly engaging — delivering a 52% hook rate and over 68,000 YouTube views — while borough-specific targeting ensured strong local relevance. A comprehensive, high-performing campaign that drove meaningful engagement across platforms.
Ready to Start Your Next Campaign?
If you’re currently planning a public health campaign, recruitment drive, or awareness initiative, or if you’re just exploring how audio might support your goals, we’d love to help.
Complete the short form below, and a member of our team will be in touch to:
- Offer a free consultation on your objectives
- Share examples and case studies from similar NHS campaigns
- Provide ideas and costings tailored to your region and audience