In just one week, almost 1,200 colleagues across Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust have been given their flu vaccine. The vaccine has given them, the people they work with, care for, as well as family and loved ones, vital protection against flu this winter.
Delivering this number of vaccines in just a week has been no mean feat and has involved months of planning with teams across the Trust working together to get these fantastic results. The colleagues at the centre of it all include Occupational Health, Communications Team, Clinical Education Team, Matrons and leads from across divisions including medicine, surgery, facilities, community.
Planning the campaign began way back in summer, involving colleagues from a wide range of teams from the start in weekly planning meetings.
The Trust have bought in a number of measures to meet the needs of colleagues and make it as easy as possible for people to find the time in their work usual day have the vaccine. Measures include:
Peer immunisers:
- Around 180 colleagues across the Trust, from across teams and services, have volunteered to become a peer immuniser.
- Peer immunisers are CHFT colleagues who support the winter vaccination campaign in addition to their current role
- Having a strong network of peer immunisers has been vital to the success of this year's campaign.
- Anyone who is a registered clinical practitioner can become a peer immuniser e.g. Registered Nurses, Midwives, Physios, ODPs and Pharmacists.
Drop-in sessions which are at times and convenient locations for all colleagues:
- These are led by Occupational Health and the Clinical Education Team and are based around shift times and break times.
- Sessions are based in convenient locations such as main corridors and restaurants and include both hospital sites.
- Community teams have led on organising sessions for their colleagues, and they are welcome to have their vaccine at a hospital site too
- Evening and weekend sessions are also available through colleagues in Maternity Antenatal Clinics.
A communications campaign with a focus on storytelling that puts colleagues at the heart:
- Communications has been part of the planning from the beginning.
- Colleagues have been forthcoming in sharing stories and content to create heartfelt stories and content.
- Regular updates via the internal communications channels the Trust already use.
- A 'flu hub' on the intranet for a single point of reference.
Making it easier for colleagues to self-declare if they have had a vaccine elsewhere with a short, easy to complete online form.
Head Nurse for Surgery and Anaesthetics, and joint lead for the campaign, Tracy Burland, said: "This has been a real team effort where colleagues from across our teams and services have worked together to pull it out of the bag. We all know how important the flu vaccination can be in helping one another stay well over winter. Together we have come up with an approach that really works for our busy colleagues, making it as easy as possible for people to be vaccinated. I’m proud to be a small part of a campaign that has brought our colleagues together with one goal."
Head of Occupational Health, Pam Wood said: "The hard work that has gone into the planning and the willingness of our colleagues to support has been fantastic. We have seen clinics so busy at key times such as lunchtimes, and we have even had to grab extra colleagues in to help to meet the demand! It is also testament to colleagues and managers who have allowed each other to take 15 minutes out of the day to come and have their vaccine. Having so many colleagues already vaccinated puts us in a really good place to be prepared for winter, thank you to everyone involved."
Communications Manager, Jacqui Booth, said: "Our colleagues have been fantastic in telling us why they are having the flu vaccination, opening up about what it means to them on a personal level. I really think it has made a big difference in our communications approach which has led from the heart with imagery featuring our own colleagues. The consistency of messaging has been key and we have had wonderful feedback about our campaign this year. Thank you to all colleagues who have shared their story."
