The Whiteley Clinic

The Whiteley Clinic is a specialist vein clinic with five locations across the UK, offering innovative treatments for varicose veins, leg ulcers, pelvic congestion syndrome and more – with Professor Mark Whiteley playing a crucial role in transforming the venous healthcare sector in recent decades.

In 2012 – when awareness of vein-related conditions was still low – PHA’s Healthcare team were first challenged to put vein health on the radar of the UK public, and in turn, raise the profile of The Whiteley Clinic – positioning Professor Whiteley and his team as key opinion leaders.

PHA’s ‘always on’ approach to PR for The Whiteley Clinic over the past twelve years has resulted in a steady drumbeat of high-quality, educational media coverage across print, online and broadcast media that encourages people to be proactive about their vein health – and outlines the importance of choosing a vein specialist like Professor Whiteley for their care.

We secured opportunities with key media outlets that allowed Professor Whiteley to discuss the signs and symptoms of vein-related conditions; the most effective treatment options available; and the most common myths and misconceptions – such as ‘varicose veins affect mostly women’ and ‘only elderly people are at risk of varicose veins’.

Over the course of our time working with The Whiteley Clinic, we delivered monthly thought leadership, feature, and commentary opportunities with the likes of The Times, The Daily Telegraph, BBC Radio London, Cosmopolitan, Metro, Stylist and Sheerluxe.

A key tactic we used to promote The Whiteley Clinic’s expertise amongst target audiences was securing journalist ‘trials’ with target publications – including GQ Online, Prima, Telegraph, Vogue and many more – allowing the journalists to visit the clinic, undergo a duplex ultrasound to check for venous disease symptoms, and then treatment where necessary – in order for them to write about their positive experience at The Whiteley Clinic, and learn firsthand why it’s so important to seek specialist care for varicose veins and other vein-related conditions.

Similarly, we regularly arranged consultations and treatments for a number of celebrities and influencers after spotting they were experiencing visible venous disease symptoms – such as TV and radio presenter Kate Lawler, dancer and TV personality Jennifer Ellison, and DJ Georgie Rogers – who all went on to speak positively about their experiences, documenting and sharing their treatment journey with their social media followings – helping to boost brand awareness and drive more people to The Whiteley Clinic’s owned channels and website.

Another powerful tactic we employed was patient case study placement – working closely with the clinic team to identify patients who’d had a particularly transformative experience at The Whiteley Clinic, such as one patient whose varicose veins were so severe, they caused him to faint – and another who was left housebound for months by debilitating pelvic pain caused by varicose veins – and place their stories with target publications. This tactic not only highlighted The Whiteley Clinic’s ability to successfully diagnose and treat these patients, but also helped to put a relatable, human face to lesser-known and misunderstood medical conditions.