Charge nurse, Luke Sumner, in the flu jab awareness video
Staff from Blackpool Teaching Hospitals are helping you survive this winter!
Disco diva Gloria Gaynor’s famous song ‘I Will Survive’, has been re-written, re-recorded and lip-synced by health staff wearing wigs and feathers to stress the importance of having a flu jab.
The Trust’s Communications team was lucky enough to have the input of professional singer, Helen O’Neill, who kindly recorded the re-written lyrics free of charge.
Members of staff from various departments were keen to be involved, dressing up and dancing to the disco classic.
Communications officer, Alma Stewart, re-wrote the lyrics to the song and organised the filming. Videographer, Lee Rayner, also from the Communications team, did the majority of the filming and production work at no cost to the NHS.
The video is full of fun and features two leading men, both immersed in a ‘70s vibe and there are a few surprises in store too!
Anthony Freestone, the Trust’s Head of Resuscitation, and Luke Sumner, a charge nurse in the Cardiac Intensive Care department who once worked at Funny Girls in Blackpool, are the leading lights in the cheeky video which has a very serious underlying message.
Anthony, who is based at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, said: “I think it’s essential that members of staff get a flu jab.
“By having a jab you can protect yourself, protect patients and protect loved ones.
“We want to get this message out to the maximum amount of people.
“The video is hilarious but it has an important message. It’s about making sure that people stay safe this winter. It’s about preventing staff from having to take time off sick and reducing admissions into hospital which will save money for the NHS. ”
Anthony Freestone (left) with communications officer, Alma Stewart, who re-wrote the lyrics to the song, and videographer, Lee Rayner, from the Communications team, who did the majority of the filming.
The Trust’s seasonal flu immunisation programme is a key part of helping to maintain the health and wellbeing of staff, protecting patients and delivering robust and resilient health and care services to patients.
Flu vaccination remains the best way to protect people from flu. It is therefore crucial that members of staff are vaccinated to protect themselves, colleagues, patients and their families and prevent the virus from spreading.
Last year the Trust achieved the national target for 75% of frontline staff needing to be vaccinated. The Trust also vaccinated 72% of the entire workforce which was one of the best figures in the NHS.
This year the Trust is aiming to maintain and improve this standard and ensure as many members of staff as possible are vaccinated across acute and community settings by the end of December.
Directorates within the Trust will advise colleagues on where and when the flu vaccine will be available and up to date rotas will also be available on the flu vaccination intranet site. This can be accessed via the home page of the Trust’s intranet site.
Staff from Clifton Hospital performing in the video
The Occupational Health department has the responsibility for vaccinating people in the following areas: corporate staff; clinical support and facilities management staff; student groups; volunteers and the National Artificial Eye Service (NAES).
The Trust’s Medical Director, Professor Mark O’Donnell, and Director of Nursing, Marie Thompson, said they looked forward to another successful flu jab awareness campaign.
The NHS Employers’ FluFighter campaign can be followed on Twitter @NHSflufighter or go to the website:www.nhsemployers.org/campaigns/flu-fighter
To watch the Trust’s flu video click on the image below: