NHS, Charity & Education – Three Digital Properties
UX and UI design across three interconnected digital properties for one of Europe's largest cancer centres: the NHS Trust website, the newly independent Christie Charity site, and the Christie Institute for Cancer Education.
The primary public-facing website for one of Europe's largest cancer treatment centres, serving patients, families and clinical staff with clear, accessible information across a complex content estate.
Following the Charity's separation from the NHS Trust, a new brand identity was introduced. The digital experience was designed to reflect that independence while retaining the recognition and emotional connection built over decades.
A dedicated digital platform for the education arm of the organisation, supporting clinical training, research resources and professional development for healthcare teams across the UK and internationally.
The Charity's new visual identity centres on The Embrace, a heart and location pin symbol with significant legacy, reinterpreted with a refreshed colour palette, new typefaces and a flexible layout system spanning print and digital.
A shared component library and token system underpinning all three properties, ensuring visual consistency across a complex multi-site estate whilst allowing each surface to serve its distinct audience and purpose.
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust is one of Europe's largest and most specialised cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. The digital estate spans three distinct properties: the NHS Trust website serving patients, carers and clinical staff; the Christie Charity site supporting fundraising and events; and the Christie Institute for Cancer Education, which serves healthcare professionals globally.
As Lead Designer I owned the UX and UI across all three surfaces, working closely with the internal teams at The Christie, NHS digital leads and the Charity's communications team to ensure each property served its audience clearly whilst maintaining a coherent, trustworthy brand presence across the group.
A significant part of the project coincided with the Christie Charity becoming an independent entity, separating from the NHS Trust for the first time. This created an opportunity to implement a brand refresh, an evolution rather than a wholesale change, retaining The Embrace as the central identity asset while introducing new colour, typography and layout systems free from NHS brand constraints.
The primary brand colours, Embrace Red (#d2326e) and Embrace Blue (#007ea8), form the foundation of the new identity. The headline typeface Puffin Display Soft brings warmth and personality, while Area Normal provides accessible, flexible body copy across all collateral. Five layout variants using crops of The Embrace as a graphic device give the system range and adaptability across formats.
Each of the three properties has distinct content requirements and audiences. The NHS Trust site prioritises clear patient journeys, clinical information and accessibility. The Charity site needs to inspire donations and event participation with emotional, emotive design. The Institute site serves a professional healthcare audience requiring structured, authoritative presentation of educational content.
A shared design system with site-specific extensions allowed consistent foundations, including tokens, typography, spacing and core components, while giving each surface the flexibility to serve its users effectively. Brand changes at the core level cascade across all three properties, maintaining coherence as the brand continues to evolve.