NHS team land top award for campaign

Jan 4 2013 by Stuart Wilson, Ayrshire Post

A team who ran an oral health promotion have landed a top national award.

The group from NHS Ayrshire and Arran lifted a prestigious silver award for Best Healthcare Campaign.

The prize was won at this year’s Chartered Institute for Public Relations Scottish PRide Awards.

Heavyweight opposition included the popular hands-on CPR campaign featuring Vinnie Jones.

But the Ayrshire team’s innovative ‘Gleam – Embrace’ teaching resource took silver behind the Scottish Government and Strip Communications, who won gold for their alcohol behaviour change campaign.

‘Gleam – Embrace’ was developed by teenagers for teenagers, and features three innovative ways of promoting the life-long benefits of good oral health.

An educational DVD, an eight-track CD and a dance DVD are all available in every secondary school in Ayrshire.

Karen Parker, senior oral health promotion co-ordinator, said: “We are delighted on behalf of all the young people from schools throughout Ayrshire who have made ‘Gleam – Embrace’ such a success. This award is for all of them.”

Jim Crichton, director of primary care and mental health services, added: “Warmest congratulations to the Oral Health Promotion Team and all the young people they have worked with to develop this campaign – this award highlights the vital role promotional activities can play in making a real difference to people’s health and wellbeing.”

The awards’ night, hosted by the BBC’s Catriona Shearer, was attended by nearly 350 of Scotland’s leading public relations teams.

CIPR CEO, Jane Wilson MCIPR, said: “The CIPR PRide Awards represent the best, most creative and most effective public relations work across the UK.

“To be a silver winner means your work has been judged as amongst the best in your area by leading PR experts.”