11:20 GMT, March 9, 2010 LEEDS, England | The Ministry of Defence has appointed Yorkshire-based PR agency, Lexicon Public Relations Limited, to provide online internal communications for the Joint Medical Command.

The three-year contract was awarded following a competitive tendering process in which Lexicon demonstrated the skills, expertise and infrastructure to deliver a high quality service at a competitive price.

The Joint Medical Command (JMC) is responsible for aspects of the provision of healthcare to all three armed services: Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force. This stretches from training front line emergency medical services through to the care and rehabilitation of our seriously wounded.

Under the contract, Lexicon will provide electronic communications for JMC, including electronic internal newsletters covering both clinical and news developments, and the maintenance of a password-protected news and information website.

Lexicon Public Relations Ltd is one of the UK’s longest-established PR agencies, founded in 1988. In addition to the Ministry of Defence, its client base includes Dorel plc (the world’s biggest nursery products manufacturer), speciality chemical manufacturer Vickers Laboratories, and global top-20 translation and interpreting company, thebigword. Lexicon has a Yorkshire HQ and a London office.

Roger Eustis, Head of Corporate Communications, HQ Joint Medical Command, said: “JMC is responsible for both the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine in Birmingham and the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court. We are currently experiencing high levels of operational activity and JMC is also restructuring in order to deliver the best-possible medical care to all serving personnel. Effective and timely communications to our own people are a vital part of our operation. Lexicon has demonstrated that they are consistently on time and on target in meeting our requirements”.

Sue Baker, Managing Director of Lexicon Public Relations Ltd, says: “We are delighted to have been appointed by the Ministry of Defence to carry out this vitally important activity. Good communications are an essential part of any organisation’s operations, particularly during a time of high activity”.


The Joint Medical Command (JMC), which was formed in April 2008, forms part of the Surgeon General’s overall responsibilities. JMC looks after the five Ministry of Defence Hospital Units (MDHUs) which are co-located in large NHS hospitals close to concentrations of Service personnel. There are MDHUs at Derriford, Portsmouth, Frimley Park, Peterborough and Northallerton. JMC is also responsible for both the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine based at Selly Oak Hospital Birmingham and the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court in Surrey. The Defence Dental Service, comprising approximately 950 Service and Civilian personnel plus the Defence Post-graduate Medical Deanery, based in Birmingham both come under JMC. In addition, medical personnel from the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force work alongside their NHS colleagues in another 32 NHS hospitals across the UK.