Star Wars campaign wins award for boosting NHS flu jab uptake

The annual flu fighter awards recognise and celebrate NHS trusts and social care organisations from across the country for their commitment to fighting the spread of flu among frontline staff.

“This evening is a celebration of their commitment to protecting our frontline staff”

Danny Mortimer

At a ceremony in Manchester last night, winners from NHS trusts, individuals and care organisations all scooped awards for their hard work in encouraging frontline staff to have the flu jab.

Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust took home two awards, for flu fighter champion and for most creative campaign.

The individual award went to Kathy Robinson, a recently retired paediatric nurse, who signed up to work with the vaccination team and was commended for her “calm and compassionate” approach.

Her trust said Ms Robinson “demonstrated her abilities as a natural leader, encouraging and supporting the vaccination team”.

The trust also won the award for Most creative flu fighter campaign, which was based on the popularity of the Star Wars films.

Using the slogan #maythe4bewithyou, the campaign encouraged staff to receive their “four shields of protection” by having the influenza immunisation.

Meanwhile, the award for best team went to Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, which vaccinated 75% of its staff in just 21 days.

The award winners across seven categories were:

• Best flu fighter care campaign – HC-One Ltd
• Most creative flu fighter campaign – Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
• Most innovative flu fighter campaign, sponsored by Abbott – South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
• Most improved flu fighter campaign – King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• flu fighter champion – Kathy Robinson, Sandwell and West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust
• Best flu fighter team, sponsored by NDL – Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
• Best use of the seven elements – Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

The awards took place at the Midland Hotel and will be the last such event run by NHS Employers, which is part of the NHS Confederation.

The frontline healthcare worker flu vaccination campaign will become part of NHS England’s and Public Health England’s winter campaign from 2019-20.

Over the past eight years, the NHS Employers flu fighter campaign has helped English trusts to double their vaccine uptake rates among frontline staff from 34.7% in 2010-11 to 68.7% in 2017-18.

The latest flu vaccination uptake figures from Public Health England show that 70.3%, or 739,187, frontline staff have been vaccinated so far this flu season – the highest uptake to date.

Judges of the awards included representatives from Skills for Care, the Royal College of Nursing and the editor of Nursing Times, Steve Ford.

Danny Mortimer, chief executive of NHS Employers and host of the flu fighter awards, said: “I have always been extremely impressed by the sustained efforts of flu fighters throughout the country who continue to surpass expectations and improve vaccination uptake rates.

“This evening is a celebration of their commitment to protecting our frontline staff, patients and service users from the effects of flu,” he said.

Steve Ford, editor of Nursing Times and judge, said: “I am delighted to be supporting the flu fighter awards, after eight years of such great success.

“This is my first year as a judge and I was extremely impressed by the level of creativity, and also fun, on show in the shortlisted entries,” he said.

He added: “I know how important having the jab is for staff working on the front line of health and care. I have it myself.”

https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/workforce/star-wars-campaign-wins-award-for-boosting-nhs-flu-jab-uptake/7028360.article