Viral videos launch - 7th November 2011
Social Media Toolkit
Spreading the Choose Well message
7th November marked the beginning of National Ask Your Pharmacy Week. On that date, NHS North West launched a series of humourous viral videos featuring real-world examples of some of the most frivolous reasons why people visit A&E departments.
Focussing on patients in the waiting rooms, the viewer is unsure until the end of the films whether they’re in a vet’s surgery, X-factor audition, beauty salon – or a hospital.
Although these films are funny, there is a serious message behind them. We need people to make sure that they choose the right NHS services if they need treatment this winter, so that they can be seen quickly and efficiently, and so that A&E and 999 teams across the country are free to deal with life-threatening and serious conditions, such as heart attacks, strokes, serious accidents and breathing problems.
We want as many people as possible to watch these films and absorb their message, and we need your help.
If every member of NHS staff posts a link to these films to their social media profiles, they will reach an audience of tens of millions of people within just a few days, raising awareness nationwide of the impact of unnecessary A&E attendances, and highlighting the abilities of local pharmacists to provide advice and treatment for minor complaints.
In the last 12 months, unnecessary visits to A&E cost the NHS in the North West £21 million. Let’s make this winter different.
So please do your bit and post these videos to your professional and personal social media pages – we might just start a real NHS revolution, resulting in your A&E teams never again having to hold an emergency consultation for a broken nail!
Sample Facebook Posts
We would really appreciate it if all Facebook posts supporting the Choose Well campaign could also link in to our Choose Well films on YouTube:
http://bit.ly/rGJxLw
Below are some sample posts that you and your organisation can upload to your Facebook pages to show your support:
1. Please watch this video and make sure you and your family choose the right NHS services if you need treatment this winter http://bit.ly/rGJxLw
2. This winter, don’t go to A&E if you don’t need to - Choose Well and get the best treatment for you and your family http://bit.ly/rGJxLw
3. Did you know that your local pharmacy can give you fast and free healthcare advice on most minor ailments? If you or a member of your family falls ill this winter, make sure you Choose Well http://bit.ly/rGJxLw
4. This winter, NHS A&E and 999 teams across the country need to be free to deal with life-threatening and serious conditions, such as heart attacks, strokes, serious accidents and breathing problems. Don’t go to A&E if you don’t need to – Choose Well http://bit.ly/rGJxLw
5. Up to one in four people who use A&E and 999 services could have been treated more efficiently using other local services, such as pharmacies. Especially during winter, this puts unnecessary pressure on our already busy emergency services at a time when they need to be free to deal with serious conditions, such as heart attacks, strokes, serious accidents and breathing problems. Please watch this video and share it with your friends and family. http://bit.ly/rGJxLw
Sample Tweets
We would really appreciate it if all Tweets supporting the Choose Well campaign could also link in to our Choose Well films on YouTube.
http://bit.ly/rGJxLw
Below are some sample posts that you and your organisation can upload to your Facebook pages to show your support:
1. This winter, don’t go to A&E if you don’t need to - Choose Well and get the best treatment for you & your family. http://bit.ly/rGJxLw
2. Don’t be like these guys! Choose Well this winter. Please retweet and spread the word http://bit.ly/rGJxLw
3. Your local pharmacy can give you fast and free healthcare advice on most minor ailments. Make sure you Choose Well - http://bit.ly/rGJxLw
4. If you or your family need NHS treatment this winter, make sure you go to the right place http://bit.ly/rGJxLw Please retweet
5. Get the right treatment, fast. Choose Well this winter. Please retweet and spread the word http://bit.ly/rGJxLw
Choose Well and help save lives – The Facts
· The number of people using A&E – and 999 services – is going up year on year in the North West
· Your pharmacist can give you fast and free healthcare advice on most minor ailments – with no appointment needed!
· Up to one out of every four people who go to A&E could have either self-treated or used an alternative local service
· Pharmacists, like other healthcare professionals, want to make sure that you can look after yourself and your family. Your pharmacy can help you to do this by giving advice on treating minor ailments like coughs and colds, or long term conditions such as asthma and diabetes
· More than 400,000 people who went to A&E Departments in the North West in the last 12 months could have been treated and advised by their local pharmacy or GP, or could have looked after themselves at home. The cost of these unnecessary visits to A&E over the last 12 months was almost £21 million. This is the equivalent of nearly 200 new GPs.
· Your pharmacy can also provide you with advice and tips on keeping healthy, including advice on stopping smoking, how to eat healthily and how to get enough exercise.
· On average, any A&E appointment costs the NHS, and therefore the taxpayer, a minimum of £59
· A&E departments are for life-threatening and emergency conditions, such as heart attacks, strokes, breathing problems and serious accidents. We need to make sure that A&E services are free to help the people who really need them.
Contact:
If you have any questions, comments, or queries, please contact:
Ann Richardson
Communications Officer
NHS North West
Tel: 0161 625 7226
Email: