Skip to contents
#> Error in get(paste0(generic, ".", class), envir = get_method_env()) : 
#>   object 'type_sum.accel' not found

The NHS (National Health Service) is the publicly funded healthcare system in the United Kingdom. Established in 1948, it provides comprehensive healthcare services that are largely free at the point of use for residents of the UK. The NHS is funded primarily through taxation and is based on the principle of equity, aiming to provide healthcare services based on need rather than the ability to pay.

The NHS covers a wide range of healthcare services, including general practitioner (GP) services, hospital care, mental health services, dental care, and public health initiatives. It operates through a network of hospitals, clinics, GP surgeries, and other healthcare facilities across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

NHS colours

Core colours

The core NHS colours are blue and white:

NHS primary colour palette

This is supplemented by four additional groups of colours. All colours in the palette meet at least an AA accessibility rating, with many achieving the highest AAA rating when used with appropriate contrasts on suitable backgrounds.

Level 1: Blue tones

Level 1 of the NHS colour palette consists of various shades of blue, emphasizing the association with blue and white. It provides lighter and darker alternatives to the main NHS Blue colour, offering tonal variety while maintaining the core brand identity.

NHS blue tones palette

Level 2: Neutrals

These additional colours complement the primary blues in the palette. Black and dark grey are suitable for text depending on the context. Lighter greys can serve as backgrounds, especially online. White serves as the primary neutral base. Proper use of these colours enhances the overall blue and white aesthetic.

NHS neutrals palette

Level 3: Support Greens

Green, being closely related to blue in the colour spectrum, complements the blue and white palette. When used moderately and in a supporting role, it maintains the association with blue and white without compromising it. However, if green becomes too dominant, it may hinder people’s ability to instantly recognize the NHS as the source of information.

NHS support greens palette

Level 4: Highlights

Highlights are effective for emphasizing details, adding warmth to the blue theme, and offering accent colours for NHS entities to distinguish themselves. However, excessive use can drastically alter the overall appearance and disassociate the communication from the NHS brand. Therefore, it’s advised to use highlights sparingly and avoid large blocks of these colours.

NHS highlights palette

NHS sequential brewer palettes

Blues

NHS sequential blues palette

Blue to green

NHS sequential blue to green palette

Blue to purple

NHS sequential blue to purple palette

Green to blue

NHS sequential green to blue palette

Greens

NHS sequential greens palette

Greys

NHS sequential greys palette

Purple to blue

NHS sequential purple to blue palette

Purple to blue to green

NHS sequential purple to blue to green palette

Purple to red

NHS sequential purple to red palette

Red to purple

NHS sequential red to purple palette

Reds

NHS sequential reds palette

Yellow to green

NHS sequential yellow to green palette

Yellow to green to blue

NHS sequential yellow to green to blue palette

Yellow to orange to red

NHS sequential yellow to orange to red palette

NHS divergent brewer palettes

Pink to yellow to green

NHS sequential pink to yellow to green palette

Purple to green

NHS sequential purple to green palette

Purple to orange

NHS sequential purple to orange palette

Red to blue

NHS sequential red to blue palette

Red to grey

NHS sequential red to grey palette

Red to yellow to blue

NHS sequential red to yellow to blue palette

Red to yellow to green

NHS sequential red to yellow to green palette

Africa CDC qualitative palettes

Pastel set 1

NHS qualitative pastel set 1 palette

Dark

NHS qualitative dark palette

NHS ggplot2 theme

An NHS ggplot2 theme function called theme_nhs() is included in the paleta package. Following are examples of how it can be used.

A bar plot showcasing the NHS ggplot2 theme

A scatter plot showcasing the NHS ggplot2 theme