Helping to spread the word about the flu vaccination
Hundreds of people across Sandwell and West Birmingham were encouraged to take up their free flu jab last winter thanks to Agewell.
All Agewell members were sent information about the flu jab and asked to tell their families, friends and neighbours why it’s so important.
We invited Dr Susanna Roughton, Senior Public Health Registrar at Sandwell PCT to speak about the flu jab at our Local Forums. She was delighted with the response.
“A number of Agewell members volunteered to be Flu Ambassadors and came up with the idea of Flu Bingo. Arrned with bingo cards and dabbers they dabbed a box each time they spoke to someone about the flu jab,” explains Susanna. “The aim was to sow the seed of an idea in people’s minds which they would hopefully act on.”
And it worked! Over 550 people were reminded to get their flu jab so as to avoid this potentially serious winter illness.
Agewell also worked with Aston Pride and Newtown Health Centre in Birmingham, telephoning over 500 potentially vulnerable patients to remind them about the flu jab.
GP, Dr Samad Mukherjee was impressed with our work explaining: “Agewell suggested our older patients may find it more helpful to have a conversation with another older person, rather than a medical professional. It was a very good idea and it worked. The Agewell staff were very kind and very professional and they delivered on schedule.”