Welcome to the contributor hub for The Health and Healing Narrative. This page contains everything you need to know about writing for the platform, including how to pitch, what to submit, our editorial guidelines, contributor expectations, GDPR commitments, data processing details, and our full terms and conditions.
1. Overview
The Health and Healing Narrative is a medical education blog run by a doctor in GP training, focused on improving health literacy, exploring nuanced topics in healthcare, and sharing meaningful stories of health and healing, aiming to improve communication between people and health practitioners.
I’m currently looking for writers who are eager to build their portfolio and gain experience in medical writing. While this is a volunteer role (unpaid), it’s a great opportunity to:
– Have your work published and promoted to a growing audience
– Gain real-world medical writing experience
– Receive a personal letter of recommendation following publication
We welcome contributions from medical professionals, allied health workers, students, researchers, writers, and individuals with lived experience.
2. Categories You Can Write For
1. Let’s Talk About…
Honest conversations about commonly overlooked healthcare topics, from clinician burnout to patient-provider misunderstandings. We ask that writers for this section have a medical background.
2. Living Well With…
Translating medical diagnoses into accessible language with holistic, practical management strategies. We ask that writers for this section have a medical background, and management relates to UK practice.
3. The Science Spotlight
Breaking down new research, medical innovations, and significant scientific updates. We ask that writers for this section have a medical or research background.
4. The Health Literacy Series
Helping people navigate healthcare systems, especially the NHS. We ask that writers for this section have a medical background.
5. The Patient Portal (coming soon!)
A place for patients or family members to share their personal experiences, to help raise awareness and support others. This section is open to everyone. We will ask for written consent from you prior to publishing your work – to view the written consent form, click here.
3. How to Pitch an Article
Please email your pitch to thehealingnarrativeblog@gmail.com with the subject line: “PITCH: [Proposed Title]”.
Include:
- Your name
- Your background (medical / non-medical / patient experience)
- The category you’d like to write for
- A proposed article title
- Proposed article length (short or long-form – see next section)
- A 3–5 sentence pitch
You will receive a response within 7-10 days confirming whether the topic is accepted.
If you’re unsure about a topic, I’m happy to help you develop one – and in some cases, we can even co-write an article together. Drop me an email and we can discuss.
4. Submission Guidance
The Health and Healing Narrative aims to inform, not inflame. As a doctor currently practising within the NHS, I have a responsibility to ensure that content is balanced, respectful, and mindful of its impact on readers.
For this reason:
- Articles discussing contentious, emotional, or sensitive topics must remain well-balanced and grounded in evidence.
- This blog does not publish opinion pieces intended to provoke, divide, or promote negativity.
- Submissions should aim to educate, clarify, and support understanding, even when exploring difficult topics.
I reserve the right to request amendments or to decline a submission if it does not align with the aims, values, or professional responsibilities of the blog.
Once your pitch is approved:
- Word count: <1,000 words for short-form, 1,000-2,000 words for long-form
- Tone: Clear, compassionate, evidence-informed
- References: Link to reputable sources when relevant
- Use inclusive, sensitive language
- Submit as a Word document or Google Doc, sent to thehealingnarrativeblog@gmail.com
- If you are writing an article for The Patient Portal, written consent will be required for publication
To view the written consent form, click here.
5. Editorial Policy
Our editorial values ensure accuracy, clarity, and compassion in every published piece. For the full editorial policy, click here.
We prioritise:
- Patient-clinician communication insights
- Personal narratives relevant to health and healing with written consent
- Commentary on healthcare practices
- Ethical communication of medical and sensitive content
- Clinician reflective pieces
- Health literacy and public education content
We do not allow:
- Personal medical advice
- Non-evidence-based claims, misinformation or speculative medical claims
- Promotional or commercial material
- Content that breaches patient confidentiality
- Plagiarism
- AI-generated content without disclosure
Your article may undergo edits for structure, clarity, accuracy, or tone. Final publication approval rests with the editor.
6. Contributor Policy
By writing for The Health and Healing Narrative, contributors agree to:
- Submit original work not published elsewhere
- Allow edits for clarity, accuracy, and readability
- Disclose any conflicts of interest
- Submit work by agreed deadlines
- Permit their name and short bio to be published (optional for sensitive stories)
Contributors retain copyright of their work but grant The Health and Healing Narrative a non-exclusive licence to publish and archive it.
For the full contributor policy, click here.
7. GDPR and Privacy
We comply fully with the UK GDPR and Data Protection Act (2018). When you submit a pitch or article, we collect only the information necessary to:
- Communicate with you
- Track submissions
- Publish your work (with consent)
Data we collect:
- Name
- Email address
- Background/profession (if provided)
- Article proposals and submissions
- Contributor information (bio, headshot, professional role)
- Contributor agreements
- Written consent from the patient for articles published on The Patient Portal
Your data will never be:
- Sold
- Shared with third parties for marketing
You may request deletion, correction, or access to your data at any time.
Full Privacy/GDPR Policy here.
8. Data Processing Agreement (DPA)
As part of GDPR compliance, contributors acknowledge that:
- The Health and Healing Narrative is the Data Controller
- Contributor details are processed solely for editorial and administrative purposes
- Data is stored securely and minimally
- Contributors may withdraw consent at any time
No special category (medical/health) personal data about contributors is required unless voluntarily submitted.
9. Terms and Conditions
By submitting a pitch or article, you agree to the following:
- Originality: All content must be your own work.
- Accuracy: Medical or scientific claims must be evidence-supported.
- Rights: You keep copyright, but grant us permission to publish.
- Editing: The editor may adjust structure, tone, grammar, and length.
- Withdrawal: You may request removal of your article, which will be honoured unless legally required otherwise.
- Payments: All contributions are voluntary (no payments offered).
- Publication Timeline: Dates may shift depending on scheduling needs.
A full Terms & Conditions document can be provided upon request.
10. Ready to Write?
If you’re excited to contribute, please get in touch: Email: thehealingnarrativeblog@gmail.com
We look forward to sharing your voice on The Health and Healing Narrative.
Submission & Formatting Guidelines
Submission Format
Articles should be submitted as a Word document to:
thehealingnarrativeblog@gmail.com
Overall Voice and Tone
- Write in a warm, reflective, conversational tone.
- Avoid institutional or overly academic language unless absolutely necessary. If such language is used, please translate it immediately into plain English.
- First person is recommended for The Patient Portal, and may be used elsewhere where it adds clarity or reflection.
Audience Awareness
The blog is written for both clinicians and the general public – this balance is central to our editorial identity.
Articles should:
- Offer depth and insight that clinicians find meaningful
- Remain clear, accessible, and engaging for readers without a medical background
We strongly encourage contributors to read previously published articles to get a sense of the tone, structure, and level of complexity we aim for.
Article Structure
- Each article should have one clear title.
- For long-form articles, include a table of contents to improve readability on WordPress.
- Use subheadings throughout the article:
- Main sections should use H2 headings
- Subsections may use H3 headings sparingly
- In long-form articles, the table of contents should be made up of the H2 subheadings.
- In your draft document, please clearly label headings as Title, H2, or H3 to assist with WordPress formatting during editing.
Paragraph and Sentence Styling
- Aim to keep paragraphs under 5-6 sentences.
- Long blocks of text should be broken up using:
- Subheadings
- Bullet points
- White space
- Bullet points are welcome when they improve clarity, not as a default.
Please introduce bullet lists with a short explanatory sentence.
References
- Please include a list of cited sources at the end of your draft.
- All sources must be evidence-based and factually accurate.
- References will be reviewed prior to publication.
- Hyperlinks will be added during the editorial process.
Disclaimer
All articles written by clinicians must include a medical disclaimer at the end of the piece.
This will be added during the editorial process, so contributors do not need to draft their own unless specifically requested.
Our editorial team may suggest revisions to improve clarity, tone, or alignment with the blog’s style. We aim for a collaborative and supportive editing process.
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