New figures just out for the uptake of the seasonal flu jab for health workers show that Weston Area Health NHS Trust vaccinated almost 68% of its frontline staff involved in direct patient care against the virus between September 2014 and 28 February 2015.
This means Weston has done better than the national average of 54.9% and vaccinated more of its staff than any hospital in Taunton, Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Bath, Gloucestershire, Swindon and Wiltshire.
Speaking about the results, Infection control lead and Director of Nursing for the Trust Chris Perry (pictured left) said:
“Having a flu vaccination means you are keeping yourself and your patients safe.
“We have higher than national numbers of elderly people living in Weston and Somerset. Our frontline workers understand our patients are more vulnerable to succumbing to this potentially deadly virus and take the vaccination programme very seriously. Flu vaccinations aren’t just for doctors and nurses. Our housekeepers, porters and many other clinical teams who work with patients every day also stepped forward to get protected too.”
I’d like to say a big thank you to all our staff and congratulate them – all of whom were very brave when having their injections. “
The Trust expanded the vaccination training programme so that it had higher numbers of staff trained to give the jab. It also operated a ‘flu trolley dash’ where nurses took a trolley loaded with vaccinations round to wards to give staff so they didn’t have to leave their patients.
“Flu kills, yet the flu jab is quick and painless with very few side effects” Chris Perry continued.
“I would strongly advise anyone who looks after people who are more vulnerable to flu like babies, children and the elderly to get themselves and those they care for protected next winter.
Results from Public Health England reveal the following results for the uptake of the flu vaccination by health care workers across the South West area involved in direct patient care:
Full report is here
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