Print PageNational Poisons Information Centre Wins First Place at Crystal Clear MSD Health Literacy Awards
Tuesday May 14, 2013
The National Poisons Information Centre won first place in the category ‘Best Health Promotion Project’ for developing ‘Say NO To Poisons!’, an unique and innovative campaign which focused on delivering age-appropriate safety information to pre-school children. The aim of the campaign was to raise poison awareness and increase understanding in children by teaching them to always ask an adult if something is safe to eat, drink or touch.
At a ceremony in Dublin, the team was rewarded for their project which they developed when in 2011 they received over 9,000 enquiries relating to human cases of poisoning and 46.6% of these cases were children under 5 years of age.
“The ‘Say NO To Poisons!’ project showed a clear understanding of the importance of using clear communications to deliver important health information. They used age-appropriate communication tools and a simple, effective catchphrase to communicate their message in this innovative and quantifiable campaign,” said Dr Gerardine Doyle, UCD School of Business and chairperson of the Crystal Clear Awards judging panel. “The project proved very effective in empowering pre-school children to ask questions about the safety of everyday items they encountered.
Six months after the launch, over 3,600 “Say NO to Poisons!” books were ordered for childcare facilities and 238 books downloaded. There was also an increase in enquiries from the general public (24%) to the National Poisons Information Centre”.