Health In Leeds: NHS Ethnic Marketing

This winter, GottaBe! ethnic has been working on the NHS Leeds campaign, helping Eastern European communities to stay well this winter

Staying well over winter and beyond is a key focus for a campaign launched on Monday 5^thFebruary by the NHS in Leeds targeting people from Eastern Europe.

After facing an extremely harsh winter, NHS Leeds Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG) Partnership is working with members of the city’s Polish, Romanian, Czech and Lithuanian communities to help them understand how they can access the right services to help them should they fall ill or get injured. As well as signposting people to the right services, the CCG is working with community ambassadors so that they can educate people about taking greater care of their own health. This includes having a well-stocked medicine cabinet to treat common conditions such as a sore throat or a cold. They have taken even further actions to combating people’s illnesses by notifying them where they can buy these products.

This campaign informed people who have recently arrived in the country how they can access medical services in the community without the need to attend busy accident and emergency departments. This includes promoting the support available at community pharmacies, registering with a GP and finding out more about support available at walk-in centres and minor injury units or can call 111, where they will be assessed and given advice. This is also a great way of reassuring people who are far from home that they are able to receive the right help if needed.

“Coming to a new country presents a number of challenges including how to access health services. We are using this campaign to help people so that they know how to use the most appropriate services should they, or a loved one, fall ill or get injured. This is part of our efforts to help people to use A&E wisely so that the city’s busy emergency departments can deal with most seriously ill or injured people.” Shak Rafiq, Communications Manager for NHS Leeds Clinical Commissioning Groups Partnership

The campaign will see community ambassadors speaking at churches and schools as well as distributing information leaflets at a range of businesses that cater for the Eastern European communities. These are in Romanian, Polish, Lithuanian and Czech. GottaBe! has also a dedicated website will provide information, links to help videos and will be supported by a tailored social media campaign. Romanian, Polish, Lithuanian and Czech.

There are many different ways that people can get help themselves get the right treatment and allow busy NHS services to help the people who need them most.

The options in Leeds are:

Self care: Look after yourself at home with a well-stocked medicine cabinet.
Pharmacist (chemist): For expert advice on common illnesses and the best medicines to treat them.
GP (Doctor): For illnesses that just won’t go away, arrange to see your doctor.
Call 111 if you need urgent healthcare, contact NHS 111 which will help you access the local service that can help you best.
NHS Walk-in Centre or Minor Injuries Unit: For treatment of minor illnesses or injuries without an appointment.
A&E or 999 for very severe or life threatening conditions.