Heartbeat: The four is strong in SWBH
November 28, 2018
Fantastic news – over 80 per cent of our patient facing colleagues have now had their flu vaccination, giving them four shields of protection over the virus. Reaching 80 per cent means that we have now achieved herd immunity, which will keep us all a little safer as we go through the winter and keep our patients safer too.
This year, we launched our brand new campaign, ‘May the 4 be with you,’ a play on the famous Star Wars quote, which celebrates the four elements of protection this season’s quadrivelent flu vaccine offers.
Colleagues from across the organisation embraced the theme, with many dressing up as iconic characters from the film, including; Chief Nurse, Paula Gardner as Obi-Wan Kenobi, Medical Director, David Carruthers as Hans Solo and Director of People and OD, Raffaela Goodby donning an impressive Princess Leia costume.
Our campaign launched with colleagues from our communications and occupational health teams starring as characters in a flu inspired poem, which drew praise from organisations such as NHS England and Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG.
As well as dressing up as characters, colleagues shared their reasons for having the flu vaccine, with many people having it for the first time this year, including Finance Manager, Masood Hussain.
Previously, Masood had been put off having his vaccine as he believed it contained pork or other animal derivatives, but encouraged by the new campaign – he decided to investigate if indeed this was true.
He said to Heartbeat: “The campaign this year is so eye catching that it made me think that I should try and seek clarification, so I contacted occupational health who confirmed that the vaccine they use didn’t contain any pork or other meat products or derivatives.
“Thanks to this reassurance, I had my vaccine for the first time – as did many other Muslim and BME colleagues.”
To inject an element of fun into the campaign, we ran a who is ‘Flubacca’ competition, where many colleagues took the chance to guess who was behind the mask. Guesses included, Chief Pharmacist, Puneet Sharma and Deputy Chief Nurse, Paul Hooton, but the man behind the mask turned out to be non-other than Chief Executive, Toby Lewis.
Tracy Lees, Occupational Health & Wellbeing Nurse Manager is delighted with the success of this year’s campaign: “We have achieved herd immunity in just over seven weeks – the quickest we have ever it done it – so thank you to colleagues and vaccinators who have really embraced the campaign this year.
“With that being said, I still think as a Trust we should aim to protect everyone and ideally we want 100 per cent of colleagues to have had their flu injection, so please do come forward if you are yet to have yours.”
If you wish to have your flu vaccine please contact occupational health on extension 3306.