THE WELL WORKERS PROJECT: ABOUT

Australian health care worker’s vaccination rates for influenza remain alarming low considering the ramifications of an influenza outbreak in most health care settings. The Department of Health and Ageing suggest that the vaccination rates for health care workers are as low as 20% – 50% with self reporting data remaining inaccurate and difficult to measure. Health care workers have been very successful in promoting the influenza vaccination message to the over 65 age group, with vaccination rates at almost 80 percent in this high risk age group . However, it would seem that health care workers are not taking their own advice when it comes to influenza vaccinations.

In 2007 GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) Pharmaceuticals made available $20 000 to organisations facilitating health care in the primary care setting through their Adult Immunisation Grants. GSK were looking for innovative and exciting new ideas to improve awareness and access in the area of adult immunisation. In November 2007 the Mackay Division of General Practice was awarded the Rural GlaxoSmithKline Adult Immunisation Grant for their proposed ‘Well Workers Immunisation Project’.

The Well Workers Project and the accompanying promotional campaign was developed to address the low influenza vaccination rates among Health Care Workers and the risk that ‘the Flu’ posed to their health and the health of their families, as well as the health of the patients in their care.

The Well Workers Project involves a three-phase health promotion and education initiative using images of local health care providers to encourage other health care workers to vaccinate against influenza. The campaign aims to increase awareness and adult immunisation rates of local health care workers, with a focus on influenza vaccination. The three phase project includes:

• A visual campaign of posters and stickers and media launch.
• An education module for health care workers about influenza.
• A health care worker focused printed resource booklet.