Health Trust leads the way in flu vaccinations

Trust staff have been lining up to have their flu vaccinations this autumn 2013.

So far over 66% have had the vaccination as part of the Trust's efforts to protect patients and prevent the spread of the virus.

For the majority of people flu is unpleasant, but for others it is more serious, leading to serious complications such as bacterial chest infections, pneumonia and other breathing problems which can be fatal. The virus results in thousands of hospital admissions each year

Frontline clinical staff and health care workers are more likely to be exposed to the virus, with up to one in four becoming infected during a mild influenza season, a much higher incidence rate than that found in the general population.

Carol Bean, acting staff health and wellbeing service manager at the Trust, said: "We're very pleased with the high numbers of staff taking the opportunity to get vaccinated so far this year - we have a responsibility to protect our patients.

"Patients in hospital are obviously more vulnerable to the severe effects of influenza and as clinical staff are more likely to be exposed to the virus, we want to do all we can to protect them and in the process reduce the chances of them transmitting it to patients.

"The vaccine is safe and all clinical staff and health care workers are encouraged by Public Health and NHS England to get vaccinated."

To find out more about the flu vaccination and receive the flu jab, members of the public should contact their GP.