The annual influenza vaccination programme across the Leeds Teaching Hospitals has got off to a flying start with more than 2,000 staff protected in the first week of the campaign.
Last year 76.9% (11,403) of all Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust employees were protected against flu, with the Trust undertaking the largest number of vaccinations of any NHS trust nationally.
The Trust’s senior team showed their personal support by having the jab themselves on the first day of the campaign.
Trust Chief Executive, Julian Hartley, said: “The flu jab is an essential part of our preparations for winter and it is important all of our staff play their part in ensuring our hospitals are as ready as possible.
“Seasonal flu is unpleasant for anyone but for our vulnerable patients with other health problems it can have very serious and even fatal consequences. We have a duty to them to keep them safe.
“As well as frontline staff who come into direct contact patients, we rely on many others behind the scenes to keep our hospitals running and it is important they too get immunised. I’m pleased the campaign has already seen over 2000 of our employees get their jab.”
The hospital flu team are out across the Leeds Teaching Hospitals delivering vaccinations in a range of settings to make sure staff have access to a jab at a convenient time and location for them, and peer vaccinators are also at work across wards and departments.
