Source: Public Health England (PHE)
Public Health England would like to acknowledge the efforts of our care sector (Care Homes and Homecare providers) in encouraging flu vaccination of your staff. The NHS and PHE will acknowledge the number of staff vaccinated in your organisation, by awarding a certificate based on the percentage of staff flu vaccination achieved.
All health and social care staff directly involved in the care of vulnerable people are eligible for a free flu vaccination; this is because they care for people who are at an increased risk of severe illness from exposure to influenza.
The ‘flu jab’ helps to protect you from catching flu and also reduces the risk of you passing the virus on to people you care for, as well as your own families. People with a long-term condition or disability are at an increased risk of catching flu and may become seriously ill as a result.
Flu and its complications are one of the main reasons that people are admitted to hospital from the Care Sector, particularly during winter. Protecting individuals and populations through immunisation programmes is a public health intervention that saves many lives each year. If more of us get the flu jab, we are giving ourselves and those we care for, the best protection against an unpredictable virus.
All frontline health and social care workers should have the flu vaccine and we urge employers to continue their efforts through their own occupational health schemes or through their employee’s own GP practice or community pharmacy; this scheme is intended to complement, not replace any established occupational health schemes that employers already have in place. However, NHS England and NHS improvement continue to support vaccination via GP or pharmacy at no cost as long as the employee can provide clear identification of employment within social care.
The flu vaccination is available to health and social care staff employed by a registered residential care home or nursing home or registered domiciliary care provider who are directly involved in the care of vulnerable people. Vulnerable means people who are in a clinical risk group for flu, or over the age of 65 years or over and who are at an increased risk from exposure to flu.
Based on the percentage of staff in receipt of a flu vaccine before the end of January 2020, the award of a certificate will be presented to the provider, based upon the uptake level set out below:
- 80% of staff or above – Platinum accreditation
- 70% of staff or above – Gold accreditation
- 60-69% of staff – Silver accreditation
- 50-59% of staff – Bronze accreditation
As we will be expecting individual organisations to self-report their staff flu uptake levels, it is important that you capture the following information:
- organisation name, address and contact details
- number of staff who could have the vaccination
- the actual number of staff vaccinated
- percentage of staff vaccinated
Please note that regardless of where health and social care staff receive their vaccination, it can still be counted in your return.
The process for submitting your application for your award is as follows:
- Please submit the information requested in the 4 bullet points above via the following email address: england.easttransformation@nhs.net
Applications must be submitted by 31 January 2020
Should you require further information, please contact your local care home/sector lead or the Regional Independent Care Sector Lead whose details are below:
- Rachel Fox | Independent Care Sector | Regional Lead |NHS England & Improvement | East of England rachel.fox13@nhs.net
- Dr Shylaja Thomas | Consultant in Public Health Medicine | Lead for Screening and Immunisation – East Anglia| NHS England & Improvement – East of England | PHE East of England