Department of Health’s Change4Life marcomms chief to leave
The Department of Health’s marketing and communications chief Sian Jarvis is to leave later this year.
Jarvis, credited with developing the Change4Life campaign will leave in September. It is not yet known if she has a job to go.
She will not be replaced as director general of communications. A new director of communications will be appointed but it is not yet clear if the new recruit will have different responsibilities.
Jarvis’ marketing and communications budget has been cut since the coalition put a freeze on marketing budgets last June.
Campaigns have switched to a partnership approach after Health Secretary Andrew Lansley called on brands to help pay for public health campaigns in exchange for no new statutory regulation.
Recent activity under the Change4Life umbrella includes The Great Swapathon, a partnership to promote healthy living with Asda and News of the World.
DoH recently announced, however, that it is to restart Change4Life television advertising after finding that cheaper efforts to encourage healthier lifestyles had not had the same impact.
Jarvis, according to a statement, will continue to work on a “new partnership model” for the Department. Lansley praised the “outstanding work” Jarvis has done “to create and maintain the successful Change4Life brand”.
Jarvis joined the DoH in 1999 as head of news before being appointed to the top communications job in 2004. She was previously GMTV’s political reporter.
The role of her deputy, marketing director Sheila Mitchell is unaffected.
