LDAAT Social Marketing Campaigns
LDAAT's award winning OD999 Campaign showcased at North West Harm Reduction Conference
In November 2008, the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse hosted a regional conference titled “Reducing Drug Related Harm”. Attendees at the Liner Hotel venue in Liverpool received news of the latest updates, strategic reviews, resources and research into the fight to minimise the risk of drug related harm.
A key point identified by senior NTA executives and leading academics in the field of Harm Reduction and Substance Misuse was the vital role regional and local initiatives play in driving home to the service user the overarching themes of national harm reduction strategies.
In November 2008, the National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse hosted a regional conference titled “Reducing Drug Related Harm”. Attendees at the Liner Hotel venue in Liverpool received news of the latest updates, strategic reviews, resources and research into the fight to minimise the risk of drug related harm.
A key point identified by senior NTA executives and leading academics in the field of Harm Reduction and Substance Misuse was the vital role regional and local initiatives play in driving home to the service user the overarching themes of national harm reduction strategies.
LDAATs award winning social marketing campaign OD999 was showcased as a beacon model of good communication.
OD999 was originally a protocol designed to inform service users that if they found themselves in a situation where someone hade gone over they should call the emergency services without the fear of the Police attending. When it became apparent, in consultation with service users that this fear was still real, the decision was made to launch an awareness campaign to encourage the use of the 999 number in the case of overdose emergencies. Overdose incidence in the North West was amongst the highest in the country.
Development of the OD999 campaign relied heavily on the involvement of reformed or reforming addicts who gave their time as volunteers to help in the design of appropriate campaign materials and communications routes, the aim being how best to reach this vulnerable and often difficult to reach audience. Involving service users meant more thinking outside the box.
Posters, leaflets, umbrella radio advertising and reminder cards were a major element of the campaign. The latter were specially printed with a series of perforations so they could be used as roach material, but more importantly retained on the person of the drug user. Service users also provided valuable information about where to distribute such material, including doctor’s surgeries and A&E departments as well as unconventional outlets such as night shelters, hostels, soup kitchens and even telephone boxes which were vividly branded with the campaign graphics.
Phone boxes were chosen because they are often used to arrange a supply or deal. This process usually included a minimum of two people so the impact of the message was maximised. A final element was to deliver overdose training for service users providing life saving advice, activity which was co-ordinated by LDAAT and Blackburn and Darwen DAT, who also supported the campaign financially.
Dave Rankine, the dedicated Harm Reduction Champion at LDAAT told the delegates, “Whilst it is difficult to prove, during the time the OD999 campaign was running it was noticed that drug related deaths had dropped to their lowest levels for several years and calls to the Emergency services seamed to increase. So perhaps it’s fair to believe that the campaign and resuscitation training made a real contribution”. A follow on campaign is being planned for early 2009.
For more details of the campaign see our special website www.od999.org
To become involved in the Lancashire User Forum contact Dave Rankine on 07795 812795
