GPs praised for seasonal flu vaccination programme

Dr Jane Rossini

NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale (HMR) has praised GP practices from across the borough for their achievement in last year’s seasonal flu vaccination programme.

Local GPs who achieved the National flu vaccination target of 75 per cent in those aged 65 years and over in 2010 were presented with a certificate in recognition of their achievement by Dr Jane Rossini, Director of Public Health at NHS HMR. In total twenty six practices across the borough achieved the national target, with eighteen of these achieving 80 per cent or more.

Speaking after the presentation at this month’s GP Forum, Dr Rossini said: “I was pleased to be asked to share in the success of these practices. Seasonal flu vaccination is one of our big winter campaigns which can save lives - particularly in vulnerable people such the elderly and people with chronic disease.

“I’m delighted we have been able to reach the target for people over 65.

“This year we will be aiming to get many more vulnerable people vaccinated.”

Following on from last year’s vaccination programme, NHS HMR is encouraging residents from across the borough of Rochdale, who are at a higher risk of seasonal flu, to protect themselves and get their free annual flu jab.

The best way to protect yourself from flu is to be vaccinated. The seasonal flu vaccine is safe and required every year because it is altered to match the flu strains in circulation. Flu vaccination is offered for free to everybody aged 65 and over and to all patients aged 6 months to 64 years with long-term conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, multiple sclerosis, serious kidney and liver disease. It is also advised for pregnant women during any stage of their pregnancy, patients in long stay residential care and patients in receipt of a carers allowance or those who are the main carer of an older or disabled person.

Last year, 36,781 people in the borough had the seasonal flu vaccine, It is, however, estimated there are almost another 19,000 people aged over 65 or in an at-risk group in the borough who should have the vaccine to protect themselves from the virus.

Dr Rossini, added:“Every year flu-related deaths occur in the winter months, these deaths are avoidable. If you’ve previously had the seasonal flu vaccine or fall into an ‘at-risk’ category then it’s really important to get yourself protected as early as possible and have the vaccine.”

One of the best ways to avoid flu is to get immunised, but in addition, people can protect themselves by practising good hand hygiene with the ‘catch it, bin it, kill it’ technique. This means carrying tissues, covering coughs and sneezes with a tissue, disposing of the tissue after one use, and cleaning hands as soon as possible with soap and water or an alcohol hand gel.

The flu vaccination programme 2011 is due to start in GP practices across the borough, so if you haven’t been invited for yours yet then speak to your GP.