Help us fight the flu!
Throughout October and November we’re helping protect staff, patients, families and carers from flu by offering free vaccinations. It’s all part of the annual NHS Flu Fighter campaign which sees NHS organisations across England working together to improve flu vaccination uptake.
By running drop-in clinics at locations across the Trust, staff can attend at a time and place convenient for them to get the jab and we’re specifically encouraging staff in regular contact with patients, such as those in community teams, health visitors and community nurses to get vaccinated.
Staff have also been encouraging people who use our services to get vaccinated to help prevent the spread of flu – especially those in at risk groups. People aged 65 and above, pregnant women, children aged two to four or people with long term illnesses have all been encouraged to contact their GP and get their free flu jab.
Flu is highly transmissible and in some cases can lead to serious illnesses. Patients in a hospital environment are particularly susceptible to the effects of the virus and last year flu was responsible for more than a hundred deaths in the UK, affecting thousands more.
If you haven’t already had your flu jab don’t worry, there are still plenty of opportunities for you to have the jab and protect yourself.
What’s even better is that by having a flu jab, you are not only protecting yourself from flu, but helping to prevent the virus spreading to family, friends or work colleagues.
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 – as well as people living in our local communities.
“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 having the vaccination you are helping to not only protect yourself but also those around you.”
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.”
You can find out how to get a flu jab at a location near you by visiting the NHS Choices website.