Minds on Matters, a new campaign designed to help healthcare comms professionals identify and manage causes of stress has been launched by Fox&Cat and the Healthcare Communications Associated (HCA).

The campaign, launched in October to coincide with World Mental Health Day, will feature four CPD-accredited sessions delivered over the next 12 months. Each session will explore one of the leading causes of stress in the healthcare communications sector and present practical, real-world examples of how to address them.

The partners have launched an industry-wide survey inviting healthcare comms professionals to provide feedback on potential session topics and help shape the programme’s content. Anticipated themes include workload and boundaries, leadership and culture, recognition and value, and purpose and impact.

According to the partners, nearly three-quarters of professionals in the sector report experiencing burnout annually, with workload pressures and an ‘always-on’ culture cited as the main contributors.

Paul Hutchings, founding partner at Fox&Cat, said: “Every year, new stressors emerge, whether from technology, the economy, workplace change or a myriad of other factors. Minds on Matters will help get us much closer to the tangible, real-time issues we face. We will be asking our industry what’s driving stress right now and then shining a light on solutions, sharing real examples of what’s already working, across the next 12 months.”
The new campaign builds on the partners’ previous initiative, Under the Tree, which ran from 2023 to 2024. That campaign, part of Fox&Cat and HCA’s longstanding collaboration, also focused on supporting mental health across the healthcare comms community. It reached 5,500 professionals, with 90% reporting they felt better equipped to manage stress by its conclusion.

Mike Dixon, CEO at the HCA, said: “Minds on Matters is about equipping our profession with practical solutions while highlighting positive examples that already exist. Together, we can build on a culture where healthcare comms professionals feel fully supported, valued and able to thrive.”

Overcoming MS provides evidence-based advice and guidance for people living with MS, helping them to manage their condition through practical lifestyle changes. These include improvements to diet and physical activity, adoption of stress management techniques and guidance on medication and treatment options.

Stefi Rucci, joint MD and head of Healthcare at SAY Communications, said: “The quality of the applications our pro bono programme received this year really inspired us. So, it was tough to choose the winner. We are absolutely delighted to be supporting Overcoming MS with its very first public awareness campaign.”

Alexandra Holden, CEO of Overcoming MS, said: “As a small but ambitious, global charity, working in partnership with the insight and expertise of the SAY Communications team was an unmissable opportunity. We’re excited to develop a campaign together that will help us reach everyone affected by MS, bringing them hope, underpinned by evidence, of living well with MS.”

Previous pro bono campaigns have focused on raising awareness of key health issues, stakeholder engagement or supporting the launch of new initiatives, and the campaign is expected to launch in early 2026.