adam&eveDDB highlights health plight of NHS workers

‘Sicker than the Patients’ is a new integrated campaign created by adam&eveDDB’s Richard Gayton and Darren Beresford.

With over half of NHS workers suffering from poor mental health and with one in four NHS staff having considered suicide , the new campaign underlines how, in many cases, NHS staff are sicker than the patients they are treating.

As recent statistics reveal the staggering rise in mental health problems amongst healthcare workers, ‘Sicker Than The Patients’ aims to drive donations for Frontline19’s counselling services, so the charity can continue to extend emotional support to as many affected NHS workers as possible - whilst also moving NHS welfare up the public agenda at the next general election. It follows the D&AD Black Pencil-winning campaign Hopeline19, which saw adam&eveDDB launch a free phone line dedicated to thanking NHS and frontline staff for their strength and support during the pandemic.

A 2-minute spot shows CCTV footage of different NHS workers breaking down in moments when they believe they are alone and nobody can witness their true emotional state. We see workers putting on a brave face and getting back to work as if nothing is wrong - an upsetting reality that emphasises how the need for support is more urgent than ever. The film ends with an appeal to donate to Frontline19 so that they can provide the support NHS workers desperately need.

Supporting press and outdoor draws attention to the severity of the symptoms that NHS workers are experiencing in comparison to some of the patients that they’re treating.

The multi-channel campaign runs on TV, cinema, social, press and OOH from 9th April. An activation featuring real NHS employees will follow.

Claire Goodwin-Fee, Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Frontline19 said: “The facts speak for themselves - last year 6.2 million sick days were taken by NHS workers citing poor mental health. There is an urgent need for NHS staff to access our counselling, support and training to help them better deal with the trauma they face every day on the frontline."

Ant Nelson, Executive Creative Director at adam&eveDDB said: “It’s all too easy to forget that those looking after us need looking after too and NHS employees’ mental health is at breaking point. Our campaign highlights the vital support provided by Frontline19 and the need for this to be available to those NHS workers who need it the most.”

Credits:

Client: Frontline19

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Frontline19: Claire Goodwin-Fee

Creative Agency: adam&eveDDB

Project: Sicker than the Patients

First Air Date: 9 th April

CEO: Miranda Hipwell

Chief Creative Officer: Richard Brim

Executive Creative Directors: Ant Nelson & Mike Sutherland

Creative Directors: Richard Gayton & Darren Beresford

Copywriter: Darren Beresford

Art Director: Richard Gayton

Joint Head of Int Production/Producer: Nikki Cramphorn

Head of Print Production & Experiential: Jaki Jo Hannan

Assistant Producer: Holly Wormleighton

Creative Excellence Manager: Cassie Bodaly

Project Manager: Josie Shand

Project Director: Andrea Kenyon

CSO: Martin Beverley

Head of Planning: Will Grundy

Business Director: Adam Patel

Account Director: Renee James

Account Manager: Lydia Bauer

Legal: Candice Macleod & Tom Campbell

Business Affairs Manager: Edan Cummins

PR Executive: Shehneal Dhaliwal

PR Assistant: Femke Pusey

TV Production

Production company: MJZ

Director: Henry Hobson

DoP: Ben Seresin

Producer/Head of Production: Lucy Jones

Executive Producer: Lindsay Turnham

Production Manager: Dulcie Menzie

Casting: Kate & Lou + Ro Casting

1st AD: Jim Cole

Gaffer: Niko Kalermarakis

Sound Recordist: Paddy Owen

Production Designer: Sophie Becher

Costume Designer: Rebecca Rich

Hair & Make-up: Natasha Lawes

Audio: 750mph

Sound Design & Mix: Sam Ashwell

Audio Producer: Olivia Ray / Carla Thomas

Editing Company: TenThree

Editors: Stephen Dunne & Billy Mead

Senior Assistant Editor: Jules Bayer-Crier

Offline Edit Producer: Rachel Goodger

Grade: TLMS TV

Colourist: Julien Alary

Colour Producer: Eli Sandal

Post Production: Untold Studios

Executive Producer: Lauren Oldfield

Executive Producer: Ian Berry

Production Coordinator: Annabelle Jenneau-Younes

Production Assistant: Zuzanna Drozdz

VFX Lead Artist: Eric So

VFX Artist: Anandan Annamalai

Online Supervisor: Richard Harris

Music Track: Frontline

Music Produced By: Zebedee Chiyonofuji Budworth

Music Publisher: Zebedee Chiyonofuji Budworth

Stills Production

First Live Date: 5 th April

Photographer: Dean Rogers

Photographer’s Agent: Visual Artists

Design: Scott Silvey, King Henry Studios

Retouching: Mark Henry, King Henry Studios

Artwork: Dave Callow, King Henry Studios

Supply Repro Senior Producer: Tony Hutton, cain&abel