Medical Director takes lead in staff flu fighter vaccination campaign to protect patients

Professor Matt Makin, Medical Director; Allan Cordwell, Flu Fighter Link Nurse

Staff and volunteers at The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust’s four hospitals and community services are being encouraged to follow the lead of the Trust’s Executive Medical Director, Professor Matt Makin, and get the flu vaccine, as part of the Trust’s annual Flu Fighter campaign, which started on 3 October.

Professor Makin received his free NHS staff flu vaccine at the Trust’s Annual Public Meeting (APM) on 6 October, at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in Oldham. The Trust had a stall at the APM and at the Volunteers Appreciation Event, which was manned by Flu Fighter Link Nurse Allan Cordwell, who vaccinated over 100 staff and volunteers at the events.

The Trust internal staff flu campaign will run until 31 December and the aim of the campaign, which is part of a national NHS campaign, is to vaccinate 75 percent of the Trust’s 9,000 approx staff.

The goal is to ensure that as many staff as possible are vaccinated against the seasonal winter flu bug, thus protecting vulnerable patients, as well as staff and their own families.

All Trust staff are eligible to get the flu jab free of charge and over the month staff at the Trust have been lining up to get jabbed and do their bit to provide safe patient care and protect their patients and their families.

The winter period is the busiest season at the Trust and staff having their flu jab also helps to avoid staff sickness, which can place extra pressure on services.

Professor Matt Makin, Medical Director at The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said:
“If staff have the free flu jab it is a huge help towards us protecting our hospitals and the local community from a serious flu outbreak, which can ultimately kill, with the very young, vulnerable people and the elderly being particularly at risk.

Having the flu jab and keeping healthy in the run up to winter is a key thing our staff can do to provide the best care to their patients, during our busiest season. It also helps to prevent staff sickness, which adds additional pressure to the services we provide over winter. I can’t stress enough how important it is for health professionals to get their flu jab. If we take care of our own health it follows that we will be taking care of our patients’ health.”

For further information about the flu vaccination, including who should have it, visit www.nhs.uk.

If you are a member of the public and you would like to get vaccinated please ask your GP practice about the flu jab.