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West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership

Services: Creative campaigns/Design and digital
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#MumsCan stop smoking campaign

Tobacco use is the leading preventable cause of miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal deaths, and evidence has shown that babies born to smokers experience health effects that extend into childhood.

Despite these risks being well told, according to latest research 8.8% of mothers were known to be smokers at the time of delivery. For West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership, the figure is above the national average at 11.5%.

With this backdrop, West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership commissioned a behaviour change communications campaign to support pregnant women to access smoke cessation services – addressing the barriers and facilitators that could increase engagement with the healthcare professionals skilled to deliver behaviour change.

The campaign resources were developed following a literature review of latest best practice, insight direct from local pregnant women and the experience and views of local healthcare professionals across the region. This highlighted the need for a non-judgemental campaign that focussed on a woman’s autonomy and self-belief that – with support – positive health choices and change is possible. It also showed the importance of a supportive partner and peer group in influencing a woman’s decision to stop smoking.
The resources available in the campaign pack included:
• A series of pre-written social media posts and linked graphics
• A media release (for local adaptation)
• A website https://www.mums-can.co.uk
• A4 posters (suitable for professional and internal printing)
• A5 flyer (suitable for professional and internal printing)
• E-flyer
• Email footer/signature banner
• Logo pack
• Social media graphics (sized to landscape and square)
• Social media animations
• Web banners.
The campaign went live in January 2023 with considerable engagement and success.
It was great to work on a campaign which was solidly underpinned by behavioural understanding and we appreciated the team’s flexibility at every stage of the process. The research helped guide decisions on messaging and images, and gained new insight into how to influence smoking behaviours in pregnancy. It lifted it beyond being a straight awareness campaign; we understood whom our audience were and could target them more efficiently. This helped secure buy-in from partners, health professionals and our regional communication teams.
Lisa Buchanan Senior Project Manager (Prevention) Improving Population Health Programme