LONDON — PLMR has completed its third acquisition in 12 months, with the addition of health and social care communications and public affairs specialist Healthcomms Consulting.

Founded in 2010, Healthcomms Consulting works with clients including the Association of British Healthtech Industries, Brain Tumour Research, the Royal College of Podiatry and ThermoFisher Scientific. Its 10-strong team brings PLMR Group’s total headcount to more than 100.

As part of the deal, Healthcomms Consulting will now be known as PLMR Healthcomms, and will continue to be led by managing director Sara Bristow (pictured, centre, with PLMR managing director Ollie Lane and Healthcomms deputy MD Melissa Barnett).

Bristow said: “This is a hugely exciting move for Healthcomms Consulting, and one which I know will strengthen the breadth and depth of support we are able to offer new and existing clients. Above all, we are pleased to be taking this next step with PLMR, an organisation we have known and respected for a long time. Together we will support clients across the health and social care sectors to deliver for patients across the country.”

The move comes less than a year after PLMR’s acquisition of two regional agencies: Advent Communications in the Midlands, and East of England-based agency Genesis.

PLMR’s existing healthcare clients include Novavax, Triple P and Healthtrust Europe as well as a number of social care organisations. Founder and chief executive Kevin Craig said the agency – named as PRovoke Media’s EMEA public affairs consultancy of the year for 2022 – had a strategic objective of deepening expertise in key sectors that make a positive contribution to society, including health and social care, education and the built environment, as well as building out its regional footprint and digital marketing and social media capabilities.

Craig said the investment in Healthcomms Consulting – PLMR’s fifth acquisition in five years – was a key part of achieving this goal: “This acquisition signals our commitment to sustainable and targeted growth, as well as our keen focus on sectors which are increasingly in need of bespoke high-quality communications support.

“We have been very proud to see our existing health and social care practice go from strength to strength, and in recent years we have proactively and comprehensively supported a wide array of clients in the sector. Joining together with Healthcomms builds on the acquisitions we have made in the past few years and our strong organic growth over the period, allowing us to continue to meet our objectives for clients whilst also providing great careers, training and rewards for our team, and maintain our distinctive approach to charity and philanthropy.”