Insight
Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust received funding for a landmark project to help local people find jobs at Southend Hospital. The Anchor Programme teamed the hospital with local healthcare providers, the local council, voluntary organisations and training organisations.
The Anchor Programme focused on creating healthier and wealthier communities, to make futures brighter, greener and more prosperous. The trust needed local people to be aware of the Anchor Programme and the opportunities it could offer.
Implementation
To start we needed to understand the many different training options that the partners provided and the audiences they were aiming for. We then found a bank of incredible case studies of the range of staff who worked at Southend Hospital. Everyone from porters to the Head of Nursing. We found out why they loved working for the NHS, the opportunity it gave them and how it changed their lives. Once we had this bank of interviews and photographs, we could media match them and use their stories to promote the Anchor Programme.
To ensure awareness in the target audiences we used a variety of methods. We planned digital and print advertising, produced press releases and created an infographic film for sharing on social platforms.
Impact
ITV Anglia covered the launch and interviewed several of the case studies at Southend Hospital. Training providers also appeared on BBC Essex to talk about the Anchor Programme. The local press also featured the various stories we provided about the Anchor Programme.
The digital radio media buying resulted in 100,000 impressions to the target audiences. Print adverts, along with ads on the local newspaper’s website gained an above average click through rate to the Anchor Programme website.
The infographic film was used across various digital platforms on all the project partner channels.
“The sign-up to the Anchor Programme far exceeded expectations, by over 300%. In fact, the trailblazing project was so successful it was extended from six months to one year and won a national innovation award!”
