Rachel Carr

Rachel Carr has been the Director of Communications and Marketing at the Department of Health and Social Care since 2018. In this role, she sets the strategic direction for the department's four communications branches and oversees Media Relations and Social Media, Corporate Communications, Strategy, Marketing and Partnerships and Priority Campaigns. She chairs the cross-system Health Communications Board and leads the development and implementation of the department's communications strategy, managing its budget, and fostering professional development within the division. Under her leadership, the department's communications work has been widely recognised, receiving multiple industry awards. Since joining the Civil Service in 2007, Rachel has held a variety of senior roles. She served as Head of Communications & Senior Policy Advisor to Lord Darzi, worked closely with Robert Francis QC as Head of Communications for the Independent Inquiry into care provided by Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, and gained extensive experience in policy development. She also served as Private Secretary to the Minister for Care Services, advising on key health and social care issues. Rachel holds a Politics degree from the University of Manchester and a Master's degree in Communications, where she specialised in political marketing, focusing her research on strategies for targeting swing voters.