Vaccinations for NHS Trust staff to fight the flu

South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust has joined NHS organisations across the country by supporting the largest ever NHS staff flu vaccination campaign.

The Trust aims to reduce the spread of flu this year by vaccinating as many frontline staff as possible. It is joining in the national NHS flu fighter campaign, which supports NHS organisations across England to help improve staff flu vaccination uptake.

Flu is highly transmissible and in some cases can lead to serious illnesses. Patients in a hospital environment are more susceptible to the effects of the virus and last year flu was responsible for more than a hundred deaths in the UK and affected thousands more.

To help prevent the spread of the virus the Trust has organised a series of drop-in clinics throughout October and November to help protect staff and patients from flu. Free vaccinations will be available to all members of staff across the organisation.

To help make vaccinations accessible the Trust’s occupational health team are running clinics at a range of times and locations to suit staff.

Chief executive at the Trust, Steven Michael OBE is personally backing the campaign. He said, “We take patient safety very seriously and we are working hard to encourage all of our frontline staff to get vaccinated.

“Flu targets people who are weakened and vulnerable, so it’s crucial that we do everything we can to keep the virus away from patients. By vaccinating staff we help to not only protect ourselves but our patients, our friends and families.”

Helen Whitelam, head of occupational health and wellbeing at the Trust said, “Service users are at the heart of everything we all do. It is important not only to protect them but ourselves and our families too. We are encouraging all staff in clinical roles to have the flu vaccine and help stop the spread of what is a preventable virus.”

Find out more about the Trust by visiting www.southwestyorkshire.nhs.uk.