If you work in pharma, you will already know that engaging healthcare professionals is not what it used to be. Access is more restricted, time is limited and expectations are higher (rightly so!). As a result, many of the traditional approaches to selling no longer resonate in the same way.
At Cheemia, we have spent a lot of time thinking about what meaningful engagement actually looks like from the HCP perspective, and what makes an interaction feel worthwhile rather than transactional. Without sharing the full recipe for our “secret sauce”, there are five principles that consistently shape how we work.
1. We align with HCP needs or we do not proceed
We are very deliberate about ensuring what we offer genuinely meets a need. If there is no clear alignment, we will not push it. In our experience, respecting someone’s time and priorities is one of the fastest ways to build trust and credibility. At Cheemia we only work on promoting brands that genuinely add value to healthcare professionals and the NHS. This has been a guiding principle for us for the past nine years.
Over time, this consistency has shaped the relationships we have built across the healthcare system. Key decision makers know that if we approach them, it is because we believe the proposition aligns with their priorities and strategic plans. Trust in the NHS is not built through clever messaging. It is built through showing up consistently and respecting people’s time. When you do that long enough, credibility follows.
2. We help HCPs buy rather than just selling to them
We see our role as supporting decision making rather than driving it. That means providing the right information, in a way that is useful and relevant, so HCPs can engage with confidence and clarity.
To do that well, we spend a great deal of time understanding the pressures healthcare professionals and decision makers face. The NHS is a complex ecosystem, and the challenges experienced in primary care, secondary care, medicines management, ICBs, pharmacy and the private sector can be very different. Because our team works across these different parts of the system, we are often able to see the broader picture. Sometimes even people working within the NHS do not always have visibility of colleagues or resources across the system.
Helping to connect those dots in a pragmatic way is often where the real value lies. When information is relevant, timely and grounded in the realities of the healthcare system, it allows decision makers to engage with confidence and move forward more easily.
3. We communicate on their terms, not ours
Not every HCP wants to engage in the same way. Some prefer digital channels, others value in person interaction, and many use a combination. We take the time to understand individual preferences and adapt accordingly.
Equally important is understanding when not to engage. Healthcare professionals are working under significant time pressure, and recognising that reality matters. Reading the room, understanding the pressures someone is under, and providing just enough information for them to digest without overwhelming them is key. In many cases, less really is more.
Thoughtful engagement is not about the volume of information shared. It is about making sure what is shared is relevant, concise and delivered at a moment when it can actually be useful.
4. We tailor strategy to local realities
A one size fits all approach rarely reflects the complexity of healthcare systems. This is particularly important across the devolved nations, where priorities and structures differ. We adapt our approach to ensure it reflects the reality on the ground.
Over the years we have spent a great deal of time working across the different nations of the UK, and each has its own nuances. The policy environment, local priorities and political pressures can shape decision making in ways that are not always visible from the outside.
Sometimes a brand proposition may not be the right fit for a particular nation. At other times it can be exactly the missing piece that supports local healthcare priorities.
Understanding these dynamics creates opportunities that are often missed when organisations focus primarily on NHS England. Paying attention to local context allows engagement to be more relevant, more practical and ultimately more valuable.
5. Every voice at Cheemia contributes to strategy
The way we work internally shapes what we deliver externally. Everyone in our team has a voice in shaping our strategic thinking, which allows us to challenge assumptions and create more thoughtful, effective approaches.
We believe the best ideas often come from the people closest to the work. Our team members are trusted to think independently, question assumptions and focus on what genuinely matters for the customers and healthcare professionals they engage with.
That level of trust creates a sense of ownership. People are not simply executing a plan, they are actively shaping it based on what they see and experience in the field.
Interestingly, when people leave Cheemia, one of the things they often reflect on is the sense of connection and belonging they experienced while working here. That culture of trust, openness and shared purpose plays an important role in how we think and how we work.
None of these ideas are especially radical on their own, but applying them consistently and with intent is where the real difference lies. And, like any good “secret sauce”, it is not just about the individual ingredients, but how they come together.
What we see time and time again is that HCPs are not disengaged, they are selective. They engage when something is genuinely relevant, respectful of their time and clearly adds value. That shift in mindset has shaped how we approach every piece of work we do.
If you would like to find out more about our services, I would welcome a conversation.
