Brighton health chiefs urge frontline staff to have flu jabs

Bosses at one of Brighton’s biggest employers are urging staff to have a flu jab.

Sussex Community NHS Trust is taking part in the NHS staff vaccination campaign to try to protect staff and patients from flu.

The trust said: “We are making great strides in reducing the spread of flu this season by vaccinating as many frontline staff as possible.

“We are joining the national NHS flu fighter staff vaccination campaign which supports trusts in England to help them improve staff flu vaccination uptake.

“Last year the flu season once again led to more than a hundred deaths in the UK, claiming 107 lives and affecting thousands more.

“Annual flu-related admissions into intensive care or high dependency units increased last year.

“We take patient safety very seriously and will be working hard to encourage our nurses, healthcare assistants, therapists and other frontline staff to get vaccinated – helping to prevent them from catching flu or passing the virus on to patients.

“The vaccinations will be provided free of charge at a range of times and locations to suit all frontline staff, including night workers and those out in the community.”

Richard Quirk, the trust’s medical director, said: “We are encouraging all our nurses, doctors, dentists, therapists, healthcare assistants and other frontline staff  to get their flu vaccination this year to help protect themselves and their patients this winter.”

Dr Quirk said: “Flu targets people who are weakened and vulnerable, which is why it’s so important that our staff who work directly with our patients are vaccinated.

“We are running free vaccination clinics for our staff across West Sussex and Brighton and Hove.”