Entry title: Prescription Charges Campaign
Entrant: Macmillan Cancer Support
Campaign aim
Government abolishes prescription charges for cancer patients in England and Northern Ireland.
Background
Most people with cancer under 60 have to pay for their prescriptions and we knew from calls to our helplines that cancer patients were struggling to pay for them.
The prescription charges exemption system had not been reformed in 40 years and did not take into account that cancer is now a long term condition.
The Department of Health said in July 2007 they would hold a public review for England but this was continually delayed. The subsequent announcement that any changes had to be cost-neutral was disappointing. It was clear that securing an exemption for cancer patients as a specific group was unlikely in the climate of shrinking budgets.
The NI Health Minister announced a review in May 2007 but no further announcement had been made.
Strategy
We used a three pronged approach to place direct and very public pressure on the governments in England and Northern Ireland: public relations, public campaigning, and public affairs.
Our objective: increase active public campaigners by 25 per cent, generate 100 pieces of press and broadcast coverage, meet with 20 key political influencers and secure 80 EDM signatures, to influence the reviews in 2008 and exempt cancer patients from prescription charges.
Implementation
We carried out an online survey of cancer patients to provide supporting campaign-evidence. The research showed:
- A third of cancer patients were choosing not to get a prescribed treatment because they couldn't afford to pay the prescription charge.
- Nearly half of cancer patients were being forced to cut back on basic needs, such as food or heating, in order to pay for their prescriptions.
Media – We used the survey results together with emotive case studies to get widespread media coverage. We pushed every media opportunity and got coverage in major broadcast outlets and hundreds of local papers. All of this placed added pressure on the governments in Westminster and Stormont. In Northern Ireland we were the main driver for a major daily newspaper, the Belfast Telegraph, establishing its own campaign.
Public Affairs – In Westminster we orchestrated written and oral Parliamentary Questions and an EDM to keep the pressure on Ministers. In Northern Ireland we secured the support of several key MLAs and all political parties. In both nations we had several face- to-face meetings with key Ministers and raised the issue repeatedly at public meetings where Ministers and officials were present.
Public campaigning – Our campaigners were asked to send a template letter to local MPs asking them to write to the Public Health Minister. They also sent a template letter to their local papers. We recruited more campaigners through the media, our health professionals, support groups and our relationships with corporate partners, for example Royal Mail highlighted the campaign and how to support it in their staff newsletter.
Marketing – We used posters and flyers to recruit new campaigners and promote the campaign.
The following week, despite political deadlock in the Executive meaning Executive business was on hold, the Northern Ireland Minister announced that he would phase out prescription charges for all by April 2010.
Creativity
- Creating a simple, emotive message which was readily understood.
- Using an integrated, multi-disciplinary approach to the campaign.
- Securing highly effective media coverage both nationally and regionally.
- Forming a network of committed public campaigners.
- Creating good survey questions to sit alongside emotive case studies.
- Influential Parliamentary champions.
- Targeting the Public Health Minister Dawn Primarolo directly in her constituency through the media, local campaigners and health professionals.
- Activity at the Labour party conference.
- Working with a major newspaper in Northern Ireland.
Evaluation and measurement
Evaluation was built into the campaign plan from the outset. We held monthly evaluation meetings measuring progress against the objectives and changing tactics as and when necessary.
The Department of Health said in its Q&A circulated the day after the decision in England that Macmillan's campaign convinced them to act immediately to help cancer patients.
The Northern Ireland Health Minister referred specifically to Macmillan in his announcement and asked our Northern Ireland General Manager to join him for a photo call.
Measurements of campaign activity
- 995 campaigners wrote to their MP.
- 4,100 local newspapers were sent a letter from a campaigner.
- 125 MPs signed the early day motion.
- 474 pieces of media coverage in England and Northern Ireland.
- September 2008, free prescriptions for cancer patients announced in England and the abolition of prescription charges announced in Northern Ireland.
Cost-effectiveness
The Department of Health stated that our campaign in England will help an estimated 150,000 patients a year at the cost of £100 each. Therefore our campaign has saved cancer patients £15 million a year.
Final results against objectives
During the course of the campaign we:
- doubled the number of active public campaigners (from 500 to nearly 1000), exceeding our target
- secured 474 pieces of media coverage, over-achieving the target almost 5 times
- 125 MPs signed the EDM, a third more than our target
- Held 28 meetings with political influencers
The vast local campaigning, media coverage and political lobbying made what looked like an impossible aim, achievable. Free prescriptions for cancer patients in England come into effect from 1 April 2009. In Northern Ireland, charges are being phased out and will be abolished completely in April 2010.
Total budget
- All activity was done in-house.
- The only direct costs were marketing materials costing less than £1,000.
