Typeface
The primary typeface stated in the NHS brand guidelines is Adobe Frutiger.
Adobe Frutiger is a modern and flexible typeface. It should be used on all professionally printed NHS communications, such as stationery, forms and packaging. Frutiger is ideal for headings and text, and is also very effective when used in diagrams, charts, tables, or when presenting technical information You can use Frutiger in different weights, styles, sizes and colours to create your own unique design style within your documents. Main uses; professionally produced materials. Preferred format; light, regular and bold.
A secondary typeface also used within the NHS is Arial.
You can use Arial for internally produced documents as an alternative to Frutiger. It is the preferred typeface where Frutiger is unavailable. Arial is particularly good for diagrams, tables and breaking up text. Similar typefaces include Helvetica, Swiss, Geneva and Univers. Main use: internal communications. Preferred format: regular, bold and italic.
As Adobe Frutiger is not commercially available without a license, within the designs for the app all copy will be displayed in Arial.
Colour
The official colour for the NHS is Pantone 300 Blue (C: 100 M: 43 Y: 0 K: 0, Hex: #007ac2). It is used as the primary colour in all communications materials and has become synonymous with the company.
This is supported by a secondary print colour palette of 13 colours and 10 tints, each used to represent a different department within the NHS:
It was suggested during a critique that using an original colour for the app would create a unique, signifying brand that would allow the service to become recognisable within the many areas of the NHS. However, it was also debated that a new colour could create confusion between the different services and ultimately it was agreed that branding the app in the standard Pantone 300 Blue would be the most effective solution for continued cohesion across the company.