Warm Zones was set up in 2000 with Government support, to develop new approaches to fuel poverty. Following this initiative five 'pathfinder' Zones were established in 2001 in Hull Newham, Northumberland, Sandwell and Stockton to trial different Warm Zone based approaches.

The Flu Jab Pack is just one of  the projects we have helped Warm Zone with over the last five years.

Many people have struggled to make sense of the benefits system and find out if they are entitled to any extra help. People may think they don’t qualify for benefits because they have too much savings or too much income.

Figures released in 2006 by the Department of Works and Pensions stimate that up to £8 billion is not being claimed in means tested benefits by those who are entitled to it. Figures from HM Revenue and Customs for 2006 revealed that around £5 billion of Working Tax Credit and Child Tax
Credit goes unclaimed annually, making a total of up to £13 billion a year that those in greatest need of support are
not receiving (Child Poverty Action Group figures).

If you haven’t checked your benefit entitlement this year you could benefit from a free confidential benefit health check!

It was pointed out that of the over 65’s and high-risk clients in Northumberland 76% actually had a flu jab during the care trust autumn programme. It was therefore an opportune time to distribute relevant information about services available from partner organisations.

There-fore.com was first involved in 2003, a trial of 1500 packs had been distributed with a very positive response form clients. This was followed up with a 20,000 publication in 2004 that again had a reasonable response rate for partners and was well received by most people.

However flaws in the distribution system meant some GP’s weren’t aware of the programme, some received too many packs and some simply didn’t bother about it.

A discussion ensued over the basic pack design witch it was felt should be more health orientated to get away from the commercial design.

The 2007 project would need more publicity, more information to GP’s, an earlier launch date and buy-in from all partners.

There-fore.com suggested that rather than send out separate packs in large envelopes as in previous years that a Point of Sale style dispenser should be designed. This will help keep the packs tidy and in one place in Doctors Surgeries, and hopefully encourage Doctors to support the distribution to patients. The above is a photo of the Point of Sale box that we designed, this holds the evelopes while in transit, then lid opens and folds back to form the display area. The box holds the envelope that contains information from the all partners; we are waiting to quantify the results.