How a PARMO is being used by a health trust to make sure people are social distancing properly

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust have produced a series of posters to communicate the importance of continuing to socially distance.

And it includes quirky ways of reminding people about how far social distancing needs to be – such as staying ten parmos apart.

The campaign also features images of face masks, visors, crash trolleys and hospital beds, and carries on the theme of the Trust’s ongoing messaging to their communities in a language they understand.

Throughout the pandemic, North Tees and Hartlepool have delivered their serious messages at a local level to the region. From highlighting the need to stay ten parmos apart to suggesting that the width of 25 lemon tops would be an appropriate distance to stay safe.

Now the campaign focuses on their own staff who continue to face challenges whilst delivering care.

Chief Nurse and Director of Patient Safety and Quality, Julie Lane, said: “With some of the restrictions enforced by the lockdown now being relaxed, we wanted to once more energise the need to stick to some simple rules to stop the spread.

“For our staff, it isn’t always possible to socially distance in clinical settings, but we do have to ensure that their safety, and that of our patients is always of paramount importance.

“PPE has become a way of life for colleagues on the front line, more than at any time before. Using some instantly recognisable everyday objects should hopefully attract staff attention”.

Whilst the message is a little playful, Julie also points out the need for adhering to the two metre rule at all times for her colleagues “even out of clinical situations, we are making every effort to ensure our hospitals and our work spaces are configured for social distancing.

“Our staff have responded brilliantly so far, we are so very proud – we just need to keep going, to keep pushing on”.

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you.