Planning for Activities and Events

Planning for Activities and Events

A guide from the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care (the Commission) to help you plan for Antibiotic Awareness Week activities and events at your health service organisation.

Let key people know Antibiotic Awareness Week 2016 is coming

The key people to engage are your Chief Executive, department heads, and, if your facility has one, your public relations or communications department (this may be onsite, or there may be an office as part of a local health district). If you have an infectious diseases, microbiology or pharmacy department onsite, check that they know about the week and ask them to be involved. If pharmacy services are provided by a contracted service, ensure the provider knows about the week. Similarly, if you use an external microbiology service or provider, let them know that Antibiotic Awareness Week is on, and discuss potential activities.

Confirm who will be coordinating the week

If possible, form a small team of people who can help with coordination. If you work in a small facility, it may be that just one or two people are involved. Coordination is the key – try and get as many people as possible to share the work. Depending on the focus of your campaign, consider asking a senior clinician or medical microbiologist to act as the ‘champion’ for the week.

Identify the resources that will best suit your campaign

In October, the Commission will have a range of resources, including posters, pocket cards, and fact sheets to support health services in planning and running events. These include ideas for activities you can undertake during the week, and links to resources from NPSMedicineWise for primary care providers and consumers. Have a look at last year’s resources for the type of materials that will be available, and check the website for updates. Posters, fact sheets and other material to support the Antimicrobial Stewardship Clinical Care Standard are available on the website now, at

Plan your activities

You will need to work out the resources you will use and who will take responsibility for each of the activities you have planned. To help you get started, see the event planning checklist.

Event planning checklist

October: One month to go
Action / Who / Notes
Advise executive about AAW 2016 and seek their support in advance
Seek expressions of interest from people to join planning groups
Finalise your ideas and the resources you will need for the week:
What promotional materials will you need?
What other teams or groups will you need to engage for assistance?
Do you need to organise a venue, e.g. presentation room or foyer?
Book venues and equipment for presentations and foyer displays
If participating in the NAPS[1] determine the timeframe and scope of data collection and make sure relevant people are aware of the activity
Identify potential speakers and invite them to present during the week
Follow up with an email confirmation

• Hint – send an email calendar invite with a reminder for the day before

Work with the relevant departments (e.g. executive or public relations) and confirm any photographers, newsletter or local media activities
Use the Antibiotic Awareness Week logo in your emails and correspondence to promote the week (available on the Commission’s website)
Ask your Chief Executive or equivalent executive leader to support the week by sending an email or letter to staff about the week. Have the letter signed by a senior clinician to demonstrate both executive and clinical support of the week

• Hint – the Commission has prepared a template that you can use

End of October: Two weeks to go
Download posters from the Commission and display them around your health service in:
lifts and stairwells
medication rooms and the pharmacy
team or department meeting rooms
the executive unit
the foyer or ward areas
outpatient clinic waiting areas/outpatient pharmacies

• Hint – while hanging posters, talk to people about planned activities for the week and how they can participate

Organise printing and lamination of promotional materials (posters, pocket card etc.)

• Hint – see if the executive or communications unit can assist; they may provide some funding for professional printing of materials

Circulate to all involved:
Final list of roles and responsibilities, final run sheet
Finalise any catering
The start of November: One week to go
Do a final run-through of all materials to make sure everything is prepared
If possible, visit any presentation venues and check set up of room and make sure you know how to use equipment

Good luck with your activities!

[1]National Antimicrobial Prescribing Survey, can be accessed at naps.org.au/