Influenza vaccine most successful yet, figures show

Data from Public Health England (PHE) has shown that more than half a million NHS staff in England have been vaccinated against influenza so far this year, making it the most successful campaign to date.

The annual campaign aims to encourage staff to get protected against the virus and is only half way through. Figures show that between 1 September and 30 November, 55.6 per cent of front-line workers in the health service – or 533,389 – received the vaccine, significantly higher than last year where only 50.6 per cent of all staff got vaccinated.

NHS Employers, which runs the annual campaign that promotes flu vaccinations to staff, said the results so far were better than expected.

NHS Employers chief executive Danny Mortimer, commented: “We want to thank the amazing and creative staff throughout the NHS who volunteer their time to promote these lifesaving vaccines.

“This will help keep staff healthy this winter and reduce the risk to patients.

“It’s not easy for busy NHS staff to find time to get vaccinated but more are having it done. We are still on track for our eventual goal of making front-line staff vaccinations as universal as washing our hands.”