The Best NHS Healthcare Videos of October 2024

October is here, but while everyone’s busy with all things spooky, the NHS is keeping it calm, clear, and un-scary. This month’s NHS video lineup goes big on thoughtful storytelling and animation to make some pretty complex healthcare topics easy to understand—and maybe even a bit inspiring. Here are our top NHS picks for October and what makes each one stand out.

6. Patients Know Best – Character Animation

The Patients Know Best video introduces an online healthcare portal by Barts Health NHS Trust that centralises all your health info, making it easier to access and share with your care team. Think of it as your personal health HQ! It’s all about giving patients more control over their health data, and the video’s design reflects that. With a soothing palette of blues and greens, the animation feels calm and welcoming—just like the experience they’re aiming to create.

The upbeat female voiceover keeps the vibe warm and supportive, making health records seem less like admin and more like empowerment. The script is encouraging—"Why wait? Register with Patients Know Best today and take control of your health journey"—inviting viewers to jump on board without any tech anxiety.

It’s got echoes of our "Our Strategy 2024-27" video (featured in our September blog), where we also used character animation to break down a complex healthcare message.

5. Managing Unhelpful Thoughts – Mental Health Support Animated Video

In Managing Unhelpful Thoughts, the NHS gets straight to the point with motion graphics and kinetic typography—no detailed characters here. Instead, we get faceless silhouettes and clever visual symbols, like a simple negative sign to represent those pesky thoughts. This minimalist approach makes the video feel universally relatable, subtly saying, “Hey, we’ve all been there.”

The calm, grounding male voiceover takes the edge off a potentially overwhelming topic. Quotable gems like, “Unhelpful thoughts are like bullies; they sound strong but are weak underneath” make the message accessible without dumbing it down. With built-in timestamps, viewers can skip around, ensuring this eight-minute lesson feels breezy and digestible. It’s proof that with the right visuals and pacing, even minimalist motion graphics can pack a punch.

4. Blood to Plasma Donation – Live-Action Explainer Video

Switching gears from animation, this Blood to Plasma Donation video takes a cinematic, live-action approach. Think smooth pans, dynamic zooms, and well-timed transitions—each moment is crafted to make plasma donation look inviting and, yes, almost cool.

Forget traditional voiceovers; here, donors share their experience directly, adding a personal, grounded touch. Casual mentions of Wi-Fi access and post-donation snacks like hot chocolate make the whole process feel friendly and accessible. It’s a style reminiscent of the Platelet Donor Journey video we raved about last month—both humanise the donation process in a way that makes you want to roll up your sleeves. This is how to demystify a medical procedure: make it feel real, easy, and maybe even a little fun.

3. The Rosie Hospital – Character Animation

Produced by NHS Cambridge University Hospitals for Rosie Hospital, this video is a welcome guide for new parents. The character animation, filled with vibrant colours and expressive characters, feels more like a cosy cartoon episode than a clinical explainer. Large-eyed, endearing characters make an 11-minute guide feel comforting, not overwhelming.

The female voiceover strikes that tricky balance between formal and friendly. With lines like “You are not alone,” this video aims to support and reassure, not overwhelm. Holland House, the production studio behind it, clearly poured effort into storyboarding and planning to make sure every scene serves a purpose. It’s an impressive feat to create a video that’s both highly informative and genuinely warm—perfect for new parents who are already juggling plenty.

2. Responsive Feeding – Hand-drawn Character Animation

Responsive Feeding, produced by Kent Community Health NHS Trust, offers a guide to infant feeding that feels as nurturing as the content itself. Using hand-drawn, textured character animation, the video is rich with warm colours and thoughtful symbols, like sunlight streaming in through a window to convey warmth and safety.

The video includes clever transitions, such as a milk bottle morphing into a weighing scale, illustrating the connection between nourishment and growth.

The gentle, friendly voiceover delivers an empathetic and judgment-free script—ideal for a sensitive topic like breastfeeding. Lines like, “Your breast milk is perfectly designed to help your baby grow and develop,” reinforce the comforting tone. Produced by Scriberia, this animation doubled healthcare professionals’ confidence in discussing infant feeding, proving its value beyond just aesthetics. It’s reminiscent of the Managing Bipolar Disorder animation we highlighted earlier this year, another hand-drawn gem that makes mental health feel personal and relatable.

1. Relating Therapy for Anorexia – Minimalist Character Animation

Topping our list is Relating Therapy for Anorexia, a video that tackles the “anorexic voice”—the harmful internal dialogue that can keep individuals trapped in unhealthy behaviours. This animation uses a minimalist approach, featuring human-like silhouettes instead of detailed characters. The “anorexic voice” is cleverly depicted through knotted, scribbled lines around the silhouette’s head, making the internal struggle visible.

In a compelling visual shift near the end, after experiencing therapy and reduced distress, the silhouette transforms into a fully detailed character with facial features, marking a symbolic return to self. 

 The male voiceover strikes a compassionate yet professional tone, with lines like, “Relating therapy helps people stand up to the anorexic voice.” It’s a delicate balance, but this animation nails it, making complex therapy concepts feel accessible and hopeful. For those grappling with anorexia or supporting someone who is, this video offers not just information but a sense of empathy and possibility.

Wrapping Up October’s Best NHS Healthcare Videos

From warm, hand-drawn character animations to sleek live-action, October’s NHS lineup shows us exactly how to make healthcare content that sticks. These videos prove that healthcare messaging doesn’t need to be stiff or overly clinical—it can be real, approachable, and even enjoyable.

In healthcare comms, clarity is key. Each NHS video—from mental health basics to animated guides on postnatal care—shows how thoughtful visuals can bring complex topics into focus.

And if you’re wondering how to do the same, maybe it’s time to partner with people who get it, like us at Leon! Animations. After all, healthcare videos don’t have to be boring. The NHS proved it—and we’re here to help you do the same.

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