Excellence in Healthcare Collaboration and Partnerships

Summary of work

The Proprietary Association of Great Britain (PAGB) formed a strategic alliance with Pharmacy Voice to drive this winter flu campaign, which is a strong example of Government, healthcare organisations, healthcare professionals and commercial brands working together to improve patient health and ease NHS workload. 

Stakeholders identified a common goal: to highlight unnecessary use of antibiotics for symptoms of winter ailments and to encourage people to think 'pharmacy first'. 

Research shows people are unaware of normal symptom duration of upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) so visit their GP after 4-7 days expecting an antibiotic prescription. The Treat Yourself Better Without Antibiotics campaign reflected NICE guidance highlighting normal symptom duration and providing advice on how people can treat themselves with pharmacy support instead of visiting the GP. 

Information was placed on a bespoke website to which consumers were directed via commercial stakeholders who displayed a campaign logo on their brand advertising. Over 20,000 people visited the website and the logo featured on 18 stakeholders' television and print advertisements. 

Research showed the campaign reached 29% of the population and shifted behaviour in nearly half who said they now knew when to seek a GP's advice with cold and flu symptoms.

Judges comments

Treat Yourself Better Without Antibiotics demonstrated excellent collaboration with multiple and varied stakeholders with differing agendas. Antibiotic resistance is critical to every single person, young and old, and they achieved great outcomes that shifted behaviours.