Sydney Local Health District offers free flu vaccinations to all staff members every year. In 2013, influenza caused 119 admissions to intensive care units and 35 deaths in NSW.
In 2014 SLHD launched a campaign to boost influenza vaccination rates among staff members. The aim was to increase the uptake of the vaccine by at least 5% across the whole SLHD staff in the various facilities. In particular it aimed to improve vaccination uptake in the smaller SLHD community health services, which have less resources than the major SLHD hospitals.
The campaign included the production of promotional posters, information packs and a video presentation tackling the most common myths and misconceptions around flu vaccination. I worked with the Flu Vaccination campaign members and each facility’s vaccination coordinator to provide the artwork and communications for the duration of the four week campaign.
Campaign artwork
- 13 Individual poster designs – Each poster featured a well-known staff member from each SLHD facility, to personalise the message for the facility’s staff.
- 10 Key staff influencers – I organised 10 photoshoots of the staff members who agreed to participate for campaign material. The photoshoots where held at the individual facilities and conducted over two weeks.
- 3 Campaign slogans – I developed the three campaign slogans featured here. Each facility was provided with the three versions of their individual staff member poster featuring the slogans.
- 31 poster designs – I managed the production and delivery of poster packs to representatives at each of the 10 facilities, consisting of 12 posters each.
To promote uptake of the free vaccine I developed the concept for nine posters (designing the look and developing the slogans), that featured staff from each hospital who were highly respected within their workplace. I organised a time and date when each ‘flu ambassador’ could be photographed and provided a precise brief to the photographer of how I wanted the shot to be set up. Post-printing, I ensured that the right quantity of the right poster was delivered to the right hospital.
Campaign communications
- Pre-campaign awareness communications – emails from SLHD Chief Executive and two articles in the staff newsletter HealthMatters and online.
- Four weekly staff updates for the duration of the month-long campaign.
- Media releases sent to local newspapers.
- Post-campaign wrap-up – final article in HealthMatters and feedback survey. Written review of campaign provided to the campaign managers.
Campaign Result
- 40% of SLHD staff vaccinated, an increase of 7% over 2013 figures.
- More than 70% of staff at Balmain Hospital vaccinated, 29% improvement over 2013 figures.
- 32% improvement of vaccination rates in Community Health Services over 2013 figures.
Below are some of the posters and articles. PDFs of the articles: Balmain Hospital leads the flu vax pack; Feverish response to vaccination campaign
