Portland hires NHS comms expert for healthcare practice

Portland has announced the appointment of healthcare sector veteran Louise Fish as the head of Portland Health, its newly-established specialist practice.

Ms Fish will join the agency in March 2013 from her current position as director of communications at the NHS Confederation, while she previously held the same role at the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence.

Her expertise in communicating complex clinical and health economic information about high profile topics will be instrumental in helping Portland to develop the service offering of Portland Health.

The practice will deliver strategic communications advice across the health and social care sectors, helping to provide policy and public affairs advice, market access support and regulatory affairs guidance.

Portland's managing director Tim Allan said: "While Portland has long advised clients on health related issues, the creation of Portland Health will enable us to provide the specialist advice that companies adapting to such dramatic change need."

The agency was established by Mr Allan in 2001 and now has more than 80 staff in offices based in London, New York and Nairobi.