A New Day Dawns for the NHS

It’s here! The day many clinical and non-clinical leaders have been working hard to get to and the day that will see a challenging yet very exciting change for the NHS. We are, of course, talking about CCG takeover.

Health reforms were implemented on April 1 2013 and today marks, for many, the first working day in their new roles. While there is a long way to go it seems from speaking with and reading articles, Tweets and blogs from CCG board members across the UK many are filled with pride and excitement at being given an opportunity to make a real difference for patients and clinical outcomes. Communicating these changes and creating better patient engagement is something that many are looking to address therefore, we thought, to mark this very special day in the NHS calendar we would give you a run-down of 5 important lessons learned by the eskimosoup team, having worked on over 400 NHS projects and 50 health campaigns since 2006. 

Engaging with local communities

5 principles we’ve gained from working with the NHS

1) Engagement works best when the messages are very targeted by segment.
 

Whether we segment geographically to a ward, age group, health and wellbeing, interest or a combination of these, it greatly increases the chances of success if an intervention, programme or campaign really speaks to specific types of people with the messages most pertinent for them.

In action > eskimosoup supported North East Yorkshire and Humber Clinical Alliance (Cancer) develop a creative communications strategy for a throat cancer behavioural change campaign targeting men of a specific age and locality (and their key influencers) to great effect with a 37% recall, two national awards and validated statistics that the campaign saved lives.

2) To achieve meaningful dialogue hang out where your target audience hang out.

Having segmented your audience consult with them about how they wish to be actively engaged with and create methods that allow a two-way dialogue. Whether its community meetings, social media, newsletters, clinics or something else we are much more likely to succeed when communicating with each other in the right environment.

In action > eskimosoup developed with NHS Hull a pioneering engagement programme to improve health behaviours amongst young mothers in specific wards of the city. Creating an approachable Facebook profile and character alongside a blend of other methods the campaign exceeded expectation, received tremendous media coverage and has been used as a case study by Oxford University and at Facebook’s annual conference.

3) Active engagement can be achieved by creating causes that bring out passion. 

We know that when it comes to the NHS many people take action when there is a threat of something being taken away that has a perceived negative impact on the community. This can be flipped on its head to motivate people to really want to bring in new or better activity, campaigns or partnerships within communities.

In action > eskimosoup was one of the first companies to work with the NHS to roll out a localised social media-led communications campaign through effective partnership with schools and local business. The “Keep Measles Out!” campaign combined education and film production that put the voice and opinion of young children at the heart of the campaign leading to a strong increase in MMR vaccination amongst the target age group and area.

  
4) Tie our engagement under a consistent banner.

Segmenting campaigns and activities is effective, though it is crucial that stakeholders understand that there is joined up thinking and movement towards a common goal that benefits the community as a whole.

In action > eskimosoup has developed umbrella brands for a range of aligned health and behavioural objectives. The Health Central, West and East identities alongside the Leeds Let’s Change campaign continue to lead as a strong brand under which specific goals and services can thrive. 

5) Create benefits that far outweigh costs. 

One convention of social marketing is to understand the perceived costs of behaviour, engagement or any action in the mind of our target audience. To achieve buy-in, engagement and ultimately positive action we need to create and communicate a compelling case that we can and will make a change for good that is worth it.

In action > eskimosoup has developed and implemented the “Smokes No Joke” interactive programme into secondary schools. This boldly challenges the motivations of smoking from the perspective of young people including looking at the cost-benefit of giving up. The combination of humour, interaction, hard-hitting messages and self-realisation has three times been re-commissioned and has a waiting list amongst schools.

We love this kind of work and would welcome a chance to discuss your communications and engagement challenge in more detail.

What a day!

Many of you may already know from taking a brief look at our dedicated health website that eskimosoup is highly involved in a localised campaign running alongside the NHS Time to Change campaign called ‘1in4 of us’. Having recently exhibited the work we have done on behalf of NHS Hull at a big local NHS mental health workshop for businesses it got us thinking about what is being done to help workforces and whether businesses in other parts of the UK, who may not have access to these free and informative mental health first aid training sessions, wealth of resources and expert advice, may benefit from similar NHS lead schemes in their area.

eskimosoup has been involved with the ‘1in4 of us’ campaign since it started in April last year in an effort to eradicate mental health stigma and make local people aware it is happening to “us”, you or me, family or friends or even those within your workforce.

Paying close attention to what this campaign has been doing for businesses the website, which acts as a hub for the community to seek advice and to help eradicate mental health stigma, has a dedicated section for organisations. It is within this section where businesses can understand a bit more about what they can do to help spread the ‘1in4 of us’ message and help staff with mental health problems from simply displaying a poster, raising the subject in team meetings through to something far more comprehensive. It offers staff advice on what to tell their employer and where to get help as well as handy tips on different activities directors can put on for staff and their families, helpful videos, practical legal tips and sources of specialist advice.

Five million British workers are affected by such mental health conditions including depression, anxiety and stress and this website aims to end the myth that those with mental health problems are unable to work. In fact, with the right help and support employees can maintain productivity, save businesses money and in turn staff can become more loyal, engaged and motivated.

The campaign also runs a number of different events including a Tea and Talk day as part of World Mental Health Day as well as taking the campaign’s fun and friendly bubblehead characters into major local corporations to spread the message, get people talking and promote the need to create mentally healthy workplaces free from discrimination.

It is amazing to see how quickly word can spread and the possibilities organising events with other mental health charities and organisations can have. It was certainly impressive to see so many major businesses in our area becoming more proactive when it comes to improving their healthy staff agendas through better understanding and supporting their workforce when it comes to mental health.

A healthy lifestyle is not just for New Year

A new year a new you! This is the mantra across many people’s lips as we kick start 2013. Adverts are telling you that you too can lose 15lbs, magazines are telling you to eat better and the NHS campaign Change4Life is informing everyone why they need to be more active. With so much emphasis surrounding living a much healthier lifestyle it got us thinking how much people are really taking all this in and, more importantly, how long it will take them to return to their old habits.

Just the other day we spotted someone on our social media feed saying a pretty similar thing in that they would be attempting it for a couple of weeks after their festive food frenzy and then returning to their normal diet of pizza and full-fat coke in a matter of weeks. A very unhealthy choice according to Change4Life unveiling that there is a massive 17 cubes of sugar in a bottle of cola and a wine glass full of fat in some large pizzas!

One healthy lifestyles campaign we worked on which seems to have stood the test of time is the Leeds Let’s Change which is an all year round campaign. This runs alongside the national Change4Life project and includes a fun, consumer friendly and interactive website which gives people advice about such subjects as reduced alcohol consumption, healthy eating, physical activity, smoking and weight management.

Other benefits users welcome are an interactive map telling people where they can go for help and advice regarding how to live healthy lifestyles. The website is updated daily and gives local people opportunities to take up the latest local gym and fitness offers in the city. A live Twitter feed and other online resources are also integrated into the site which is designed to work on all computers and mobile devices to give people access to tips on the move.

Working on this project was a real eye-opener as it is shocking to see sheer amount that people living unhealthy lifestyles can cost local NHS groups. It is a project we are extremely proud of and have received lots of positive feedback for. We know other areas would benefit from similar kinds of services and are looking forward to exploring new BIG ideas to help other NHS groups UK wide.

1 in 4 DON'T Choose Well

Having worked on a few localised Choose Well campaigns over the past two years you would think we would have become accustomed to some of the shocking A&E related statistics but sadly, no!

For instance, 1 in 4 people going to A&E do not need to be there and, shockingly, people using emergency departments for non-urgent conditions are costing the NHS up to £136m a year.

This is something that many NHS organisations are looking to prevent and, even more so, as CCGs increase functionality. Wakefield CCG is doing just that by directing public attention to local GP services.

The campaign, which focuses on the 1 in 4 statistic, aims to promote using GP practices as a first port of call as, in many instances, this is where many people who unnecessarily go to A&E could be treated.

The eskimosoup health team has worked alongside, and for, Wakefield CCG to create a communications strategy to address this issue including using effective press, 48 sheet and bus advertising. With the GP theme in mind the campaign uses the clear and thought-provoking message that ‘1 in 4 people who go to A&E don’t need to be there’. An eye-catching visual representation of this is also projected through an image of three red chairs lined up in a waiting room alongside one blue one – the odd one out.



The campaign also drums home the message that ‘Your GP practice knows you best and can help you’ which talks directly to the audience and encourages them to think about their actions.

This point has also been reflected throughout other channels including posters, leaflets, social media and a radio campaign which has been running in the area for three weeks.

Take a listen to the radio campaign and let’s hope the message is remembered in the run up to Christmas – one of the busiest times of the year for A&E staff with a staggering 80,000 people per year treated for Christmas related issues!

A little boost to our creative mojo...

It isn’t just the eskimosoup trophy cabinet that has received a boost recently as, with two award wins in the space of one week, the eskimosoup team seem to have an extra cheery spring in their step.

Last Thursday evening saw our very proud Managing Director John Gilbert and Creative Director Phill Postill take to the stage at the Association of Health Communicators and Marketing Annual Awards to receive an award on behalf of the team. The Highly Commended award for the UK’s Best Social Marketing Campaign was given to the life-saving campaign ‘Throat Wrecked? Get it Checked!” which eskimosoup helped create on behalf of the North East Yorkshire and Humber Clinical Alliance (Cancer). Working with the innovative organisation we were able to create a campaign that is hard-hitting and even encouraged behavioural change in those at risk.

Not only this but eskimosoup’s continued work in the health sector, was even recognised at a recent business awards ceremony. Our Account Director Rich Quelch was awarded ‘Young Achiever of the Year’ at the Hull Daily Mail Business Awards and was even noted for his impressive health and community work.

Rich has been involved with many health related projects while working at eskimosoup including his current role heading up a campaign called 'Smokes No Joke' in partnership with NHS Hull. The scheme sees him going into Secondary schools across the city to deliver presentations to pupils about the hazards of smoking. Although a somewhat challenging task he is passionate about raising the aspirations of young people and encouraging them into a much healthier lifestyle. The campaign has seen him deliver more than 70 presentations with each one receiving 100 per cent feedback from the schools and pupils involved.

As you can see from the looks of Phill and Rich modelling the awards we are proud and excited to be recognised in such a way and hope that our successes in the public sector continue to grow.

Tea n Talk

World Mental Health Day was a BIG date on the eskimosoup calendar as this was the day we decided to take the NHS Hull ‘1in4 of us’ campaign out on the road. Hiring a tea bus we hit the city streets to simply ask people to stop for a chat over a nice cuppa.

The project, aimed at ending mental health discrimination and raising awareness of the effects it can have on the individuals and their families, has been a huge success so far and this was just one of many crucial activities that has taken place in the city.

With the help of singers, local mental health organisations, those actually experiencing mental health problems, the campaign’s trademark Bubblehead characters and a large team of friendly and chatty people on hand giving out flyers and lending an ear to those in need the campaign, aimed at bringing people together, did just that.

So why not make yourself a brew and take a look at the project in full swing here:

Mo Bros

We don’t know about you, but as of late, our Facebook and Twitter feed has been clogged up with photos of varying degrees of feral facial hair sprouting across men’s upper lips. Guys who we are used to seeing clean shaven are now starting to resemble the likes of Tom Selleck with his manly-mo in Three Men and a Baby or Hulk Hogan with his infamous horseshoe tash. 

We are, of course, talking about Movember and, it seems, there is a definite increase in participants this year.

Some have been proving their masculinity with big, hairy caterpillars that have taken up residence between their nose and mouth while others are undoubtedly yet to fill out. But whatever stage their mo’s are at it is great to see so many men raising awareness for prostate cancer and other issues affecting men’s health. 

As we touched upon in our last blog, a campaign we carried out on behalf of NHS Hull called ‘Blokes Jokes’ did just that. Following extensive research into understanding the, somewhat, hard-to-reach target audience – men aged 45+ living in areas of deprivation; we came up with the idea ‘Blokes Jokes’. Recruiting two local comedians to write and perform materials that were entertaining and that communicated serious health messages we took the show on the road. Appearing in a number of challenging venues across Hull we delivered four events and interacted face-to-face with the target audience. This campaign, which appeared as part of Hull’s much-loved Comedy Festival, was a huge success with 90% of audiences recalling the health messages three months later. There was also clear evidence of men changing their lifestyle behaviours as a direct result of the campaign which meant a second phase ‘For Better, For Worse’ was then commissioned for delivery.

It is not just this campaign, however, that has endeavoured to encourage behaviour changes and discussion of men’s health subjects. We also actively targeted men in a campaign commissioned by the North East Yorkshire and Humber Clinical Alliance (NEYHCA) called ‘Throat wrecked? Get it checked’. Aimed at raising awareness of the signs of throat cancer the target group was mainly men aged over 50 who had the highest incidence of this type of cancer in the region. Launch events that we arranged at a number of local football stadiums, as part of pre-match entertainment, was an ideal way to directly speak to the gender concerned. The entertainment included interacting with the crowds, encouraging supporters to wear toad masks – a memorable sign of the campaign, leaflet distribution and fun, informal activities between the team’s mascot and the campaign’s toad character.

Not only that, but we also created a DVD resource on behalf of NHS Hull that helped to promote awareness and understanding of men’s mental health, specifically focusing on depression. The DVD Peter’s Story, a short fictional film based in Hull aimed to help men understand depression and its effect on their lives, gained large media interest, has become a major ongoing suicide prevention campaign in the region and created a lot of constructive discussions around men’s mental health. The campaign encouraged managers from commercial businesses to distribute the DVD around their teams and was also incorporated into many public sector organisations’ agendas and distributed to patients they were treating. Peter’s Story was rolled out nationally after being recognised by the Director of Mental Health First Aid Training and continues to be a success.

So, as Movember rolls on and the sheer amount of potentially magnificent facial hair on show grows bushier each day, we hope that everyone supports their slightly dishevelled looking Mo Bros in supporting this unique cause.

Here are just some of our friends and family doing their bit…

http://uk.movember.com/mospace/3396869

http://uk.movember.com/mospace/4948041