91 An audit of COVID-19 Awareness and Public Health Message Effectiveness in the Hospital Setting Over the Course of the Pandemic

An audit of healthcare workers investigated the effectiveness of Public Health England’s (PHE) information campaign across COVID’s timeline and assess knowledge between job roles. Method Data was collected across 3 cycles in 3 hospitals. A questionnaire assessed four domains: symptoms; spread; risk factors and the means to reduce transmission. PHE materials were shown before cycle 2 and respondents then subjected to the general campaign. Results 253 responses were collected. Symptom recognition was 84%, increasing to 88% post-intervention, longer-term recognition remained high at 81% - including the new symptom of anosmia. Identification of COVID’s means of transmission increased from 76% to 95% post intervention, risk factor recognition increased from 85% to 93% post-intervention. This fell to 74% later in the pandemic when recognised risk factors increased. Recognition of the new risk factors BAME status and BMI was 73% and 79% respectively in the final cycle. Doctors had the highest number of pre-intervention correct answers for 3 domains and nurses gave the most incorrect answers for 3 domains pre-intervention. Conclusions We have shown the PHE message is being transmitted effectively. We have also shown an increase in hospital workers recognition of aspects of COVIDs characteristics that have since been verified in the literature.