Southern DHB kicks off Awareness Campaign

Media Release

1 October 2014

Southern DHB kicks off Awareness Campaign

This week sees the launch of a Southern DHB campaign to help the general public understand the options available to them if they are unwell and to ensure they get the right care in the right place at the right time in the right place.

The campaign is fronted by a clearly unhappy and “unwell bunny.” This breaks the mould of traditional public health campaigns with the repetition of this character on a range of media also helping to develop recognition of the campaign.

The message of the campaign has been kept deliberately simple to avoid ambiguity or confusion. The primary message is “Unwell? Get the right help when you need it”. The secondary messages focus on how the public can access this help:

1. Call Healthline 0800 611 116

2. Call your Family Doctor or Urgent Doctors

3. If it’s urgent go to the Emergency Department. This generic messaging covers both scenarios for Dunedin and Invercargill

“The campaign is all about letting the public know the options available to them if they are unwell, it’s not about turning patients away from ED. We hope to break the mould of traditional public health campaigns with clear information about where to get the right care at the right time,” said Southern DHB Medical Director of Patient Services, Mr Richard Bunton.

The “sick bunny,” will feature in a range of media including adverts in local newspapers; direct mail delivery of fridge magnet to 40,000 homes Dunedin and Invercargill; radio adverts; bus advertising; billboard; postering; Facebook advertising; and web presence on Southern DHB website.

This campaign is targeted at general public in the Otago/Southland region, with a focus on Dunedin and Invercargill.

The campaign will be executed over a three month period starting in early October, with the bulk of activity in the first three weeks of October.

Ends

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