ProCare’s Brand & Communications team wins Gold at 2025 PRINZ Awards

ProCare’s Brand & Communications team has been recognised as the best in the country, taking home Gold for PR In-House Team of the Year at the prestigious 2025 Public Relations Institute of New Zealand (PRINZ) Awards last night.

The award acknowledges the team’s outstanding performance across a year marked by significant challenges in the healthcare sector, including funding cuts, workforce shortages, and increasing patient demands. Despite these pressures, the team delivered high-impact, strategic communications that elevated ProCare’s voice as a leading advocate for primary healthcare in Aotearoa.

In addition to the top honour, the team also received a Silver Award in the Government Relations/Public Affairs category for its powerful Patient Voice campaign. This initiative mobilised thousands of patients to speak directly to government decision-makers about the impact of chronic underfunding in general practice, helping to shift the national conversation around primary care funding.

Bindi Norwell, Chief Executive at ProCare says: “We are incredibly proud of our Brand & Communications team. Their strategic thinking, creativity, and unwavering commitment to our purpose has not only strengthened our organisation but also helped amplify the voices of our practices and patients at a time when it mattered most.”

The Gold Award for In-House Team of the Year reflects the team’s agency-style structure, deep integration across the organisation, and commitment to professional development. With a strong focus on equity, storytelling, and strategic influence, the team has become a vital force within ProCare and the wider healthcare sector.

The Patient Voice campaign stood out for its innovative, multi-channel approach—combining media relations, stakeholder engagement, digital outreach, and grassroots advocacy. The campaign reached nearly hundreds of thousands of New Zealanders, generated a significant number of media stories, and resulted in hundreds of patients writing to their local MPs to share personal stories about the impact of rising healthcare costs.

Dee Crooks, General Manager of the Brand & Communications team says: “I’m incredibly proud of the mahi our team puts in every single day to support ProCare, our practices and the wider primary care sector. These awards are a testament to the power of teamwork and purpose-driven communications. We’re honoured to be recognised by our peers and proud to represent our practices, patients, and the voices of our communities.”