Brighton hospital staff urged to have flu jab

Staff at Brighton and Hove’s biggest hospital are being urged to have a flu jab.

Four thousand vaccines have been delivered to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Eastern Road, Brighton.

Hospital bosses said that they would be trying to vaccinate all staff who have direct contact with patients.

Occupational health staff are running drop-in clinics.

And matrons and senior nurses are taking the vaccines into wards and clinics so staff can have a jab without disrupting their working day.

Duncan Selbie, chief executive of Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust, which runs the Royal Sussex, wrote to staff about the vaccines.

He said: “During the flu pandemic in 2009-10 I talked about our professional and moral obligation to do everything within our power to minimise the risk of flu being passed between individuals.

“I still believe this to be true and early and widespread vaccination is the single most effective way we have of protecting everyone and of preventing flu from crippling our hospital through sickness absence during our busiest time of year.”