Mastering Ministerial Engagement & Negotiation for Policy Impact – Windsor 2025
We were delighted to deliver our bespoke one-day course, Mastering Ministerial Engagement & Negotiation for Policy Impact, in Windsor this week. The session brought together senior members of Novartis UK’s policy and public affairs team for a day of high-level, practical learning focused on navigating ministerial engagement in the evolving health policy landscape.
Led by our expert trainers — a former Minister and a former Special Adviser — the workshop combined insider political insight with hands-on negotiation simulations, allowing delegates to step into the shoes of both government and industry stakeholders. Through real-world case studies and interactive group work, participants explored how to frame asks effectively, handle resistance, and build consensus at the ministerial level.
With the health policy environment shifting under the new Labour Government and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) assuming greater strategic control, the course offered timely and practical guidance on how pharmaceutical leaders can align their objectives with ministerial and departmental priorities.
Feedback from participants was outstanding, with delegates awarding the course an average score of 4 out of 5 for relevance, delivery, and practical value. Participants particularly appreciated the realism of the simulation and the depth of insight shared by both trainers.
One delegate commented:
“It was incredibly valuable to hear directly from someone who’s been inside government. The advice on how to engage Ministers and civil servants effectively — what really works, what doesn’t — was both eye-opening and practical. A truly thorough and insightful day.”
The day concluded with a bespoke post-practical discussion, where the trainers tailored their feedback and advice to the team’s individual skill needs — ensuring each participant left with a clear road map to strengthen their future ministerial engagement and negotiation strategies.