The Importance of Partnerships

1. The Importance of Partnerships Running a Provincial Quitline on a Shoe-String Budget. Speaker: Niki George Director of Cessation Initiatives & Tobacco Control Newfoundland & Labrador Smokers’ Helpline

3. Statistics • There are 500,000 people in Newfoundland & Labrador and approximately 23% smoke. • Geographically the province is very vast as 1/5 of the population lives in the capital and the remainder lives in rural communities or towns scattered throughout the province.

4. Our History • Traditionally, cessation efforts were either scattered or were predominately offered to the urban areas. • Launched our quitline on January 1, 2000. • For the first time we could offer the entire province a consistent cessation service - free of charge. • Our province has always prided itself in being resourceful and innovative, so operating a quitline on a small budget was no different.

5. Being Cost-Effective in NL – Means Partnerships • Capitalizing on Promotional Initiatives and Earned Media • Leveraging & Pooling Resources from Partners • Building on successful partnerships – fax referrals.

6. Capitalizing on Promotional Initiatives • Example #1 - 8 Page Newspaper Insert • The Insert is for NNSW – 3rd week of January (Great American Smoke Out) • always depicts success through partnerships. • Goes to all community papers in the province and we print overruns to distribute to partners and hospitals throughout the year • We write all the editorials, ask our partners to buy ad space – cuts our cost! • Half editorial space is about us and half is about our partner's work. The insert gives us an opportunity to promote smaller partners and build capacity. They see the Insert as a service to them. • #1 promotional campaign for “paid media” and isn’t time limited.

7. Leveraging & Pooling Resources Just because you don’t have the money doesn’t mean you can’t do it!

8. Leveraging & Pooling Resources Example #1 We operate on a $150,000 a year – pays for two full time staff, 12 part time staff, call centre costs, resource materials, promotion, fax referral program, group counseling program, facilitator training, support community partners and coalitions, www.smokershelp.net website, list goes on! Can’t afford TV So What’s the Plan? • Make the news and earn media coverage every month • Convinced our partner who had a mass media campaign to put our SHL 1-800 # on their TV ads.

9. Leveraging & Pooling Resources Example #1: • In 2003 the Alliance for the Control of Tobacco (ACT) received extensive funding for a mass media campaign for Second-hand Smoke (SHS). • They produced local TV, Radio, Print Ads • The “SHS, It Kills” campaign not only raised awareness about the dangers of SHS, it also encouraged smokers to quit • Because the ads generated interest in quitting, and because we were at the table (committee/board member) we were able to convince our partner that the tag line should have our local SHL number on it.

10. Leveraging & Pooling Resources Example #2: • 2005 – We estimated we needed $100,000 to roll out our fax referral program – CARE – to nurses. • Health Canada supplied $40,000 • Alliance for Control of Tobacco $10,000 • Dept. of Health & Community Services $40,000 • Nurses’ Association in-kind • Social Work Internship students

11. Building on Successful Partnerships Example: - Turning informal referrals into a Successful Fax Referral Program • Of the 60+ ways a caller can hear about our service – physicians were always in the top five. • They already trusted our service and informally referred clients to our service, so we wanted to formalize that trust and utilization into a comprehensive program/service.

12. Building on Successful Partnerships • September 2003 conducted research on fax referral (Looked at USA and Europe models and attended 2004 NCTH in Boston) • Met with Medical Association in December • Within two weeks we had endorsement • Fax referral form designed before Christmas • Pilot tested 40 physicians in February 2003 • Evaluated it in March, • Launched and rolled out 1st fax referral program in Canada All with no extra money!

13. Because of the increase in referrals, there was no need for paid media, so we move that funding to personnel. • Shared mail costs with NLMA • NLMA did marketing within organization • Media ate up the partnership and “good work story” • Awards presented at press conference to top referring physicians. • Recruiting physicians came from within the NLMA and through our faxes about the programs progress.

14. 1 year Later – of 960 physicians province wide • 23% of all physicians refer • 36% of GP’s refer • 45% of new clients come from CARE • Other types of media have only ever brought 5-10% • 2003 there were 1300 new callers • 2004 there were 3200 new callers • Almost 250% increase in new clients Other health professionals like nurses, social workers, pharmacists, respiratory therapists, etc want to use CARE – some are already using the program.

15. CARE referrals started in February 2004. No paid advertising in 2004 versus 2003 where there was at least one paid media spot each month.

16. In Conclusion • Partnerships have allowed us to use our resources wisely and effectively • Partnerships have meant groups with common purpose are working together – not in competition • Partnerships have not only grown into a common focus, but has grown into comprehensive program delivery.

17. Thank You