Highline launches as specialist marketing agency for private healthcare

A new marketing agency, Highline, has launched in Greater Manchester to help UK private healthcare providers compete in a sector worth £13.8 billion.

It arrives as UK clinics face growing competition from overseas, changing patient expectations and a big shift in the way healthcare is bought and sold.

NHS waiting lists are still above 7.2 million. Demand for self-pay treatment surged after the pandemic and has started to level off, but the market has grown by nearly 50% since 2020.

Countries such as Turkey, India and Thailand are also investing heavily to attract British patients with cheaper treatment, creating competition most UK providers have not dealt with before.

“Private healthcare in the UK is no longer a quiet corner of the market,” said Aron Evans, founder of Highline. “Providers today aren’t just competing with the clinic down the road – they’re competing with heavily marketed international alternatives that are spending serious money to reach British patients online. The clinics that will win are those that invest in building credible, distinctive brands and the digital infrastructure to convert attention into bookings.”

One strategy instead of five suppliers

Highline is built to address a long-standing issue. A typical private clinic may use four or five suppliers for branding, PR, advertising, SEO and web development, with no joined-up strategy. Highline offers one end-to-end growth plan covering everything from brand positioning and reputation to the systems that generate enquiries and bookings.

Evans has more than ten years’ experience in high-growth marketing and has led strategy for global brands in technology and professional services.

“The patient journey doesn’t start in the consulting room – it starts with a Google search, a referral from a friend, or an Instagram post,” he said. “We ensure that every touchpoint a patient encounters, from first impression to confirmed booking, is as seamless and professional as the clinical care they go on to receive.”

The agency is based in Altrincham and will initially focus on clinics in England. It plans to expand its team by the end of 2026 and is targeting providers that want to professionalise how they present themselves to better-informed, more selective patients.