Over a 10-week period, eight members of staff at Derby & Burton NHS Trust ended their own lives, and the Trust was under immense pressure to respond. It revamped and relaunched its Wellness Hub to give staff the mental and emotional support that was desperately needed and asked TMP Worldwide to create a powerful campaign that would transform staff behaviour and encourage use of the hub. The aim of the campaign was to challenge taboos that hospital staff have to put on a brave face – that their stoicism and courage could literally kill them.

The campaign centred around the well documented language around healthcare workers as heroes, instead imploring staff to go against their instincts, accept their vulnerabilities and seek help when suffering. The image included a double-exposure effect that showed staff in two poses: natural and anguished. On top there is an opaque storm cloud layer as a metaphor for turbulent lives being lived, and the strapline, Don’t Be a Hero.

The campaign made an instant impact. All mental health appointments with Trust psychotherapists were filled, and this remained the case for three months and focused on those suffering from acute trauma. In addition, the Trust’s Employee Assistance Programme kicked in, where counsellors supported those less severely affected. Monthly appointment figures hit a Trust record , while leaders were unanimous about the success of the campaign: it didn’t just increase staff morale. It saved lives.