Less than a fifth of Wigan hospital staff have had flu jab

Figures from the UK Health Security Agency show 18 per cent of frontline healthcare workers emplpyed by Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust (WWL) had been vaccinated against flu as of the end of November, meaning 82 per cent were not protected.

Across England, 68 per cent of frontline healthcare workers have not been vaccinated for influenza so far this winter – a jump from 62 per cent last year.

It comes as the national number of patients with flu in hospital beds jumped 41 per cent in a week and continues to be more than four times the number at this point last year, with an average of 2,629 flu patients in beds last week.

Among WWL staff, there was an average of two patients with flu in the week to December 15 – although none were in critical care.

It was a slight fall on three patients the week prior.

Prof Sir Stephen Powis, NHS national medical director, said: "The NHS has been hit hard with an early festive flu season, putting increased pressure on staff as they prepare for the long winter ahead of us.

He added the NHS has been making it "as easy as possible" for people to get the jab, with vaccination centres in supermarket car parks and football clubs.

He warned: "As children finish school and friends and families congregate over the Christmas period we expect viruses to continue to spread so if you haven’t got your flu jab and are eligible please come forward, and the public should think twice about seeing loved ones if they are seriously unwell."

A WWL spokesperson said: “We must always remember that people can be at risk of becoming seriously ill should they catch the flu. As health care workers we have a duty to ensure that we protect our patients, our own families, friends and colleagues and ourselves from the virus.

“Although flu has had a lower impact in the North West in comparison to other regions across the country, we would still encourage our staff, and our community to have the seasonal flu vaccination; to provide the best possible protection against the virus.

“Although the availability of the flu vaccine meant the vaccination programme started later this year, over a third of front-line staff at WWL have been vaccinated already and our programme will continue until the end of March. This uptake is consistent with both the Noth West and the national average. The Trust is currently working on a number of initiatives to increase uptake further.

“Most people have no side effects to the flu vaccination and our priority is to always protect our patients and staff at this time of the year.”

Tim Gardner, assistant director of policy at think tank The Health Foundation, said the current winter crisis reflects a "lack of resilience" in the NHS after a decade of austerity.

Patricia Marquis, the Royal College of Nursing’s executive director for England, added: "As people prepare for the festivities, nursing staff are battling to hold the service together and are deeply concerned about what the coming weeks will deliver.