Preparations under way to fight seasonal flu

PREPARATIONS are underway to fight seasonal flu - and encourage more Staffordshire residents and workers to get vaccinated, writes KERRY ASHDOWN.

Flu is just one of the factors that puts pressure on the NHS during the winter, affecting wider health and social care as well as those who succumb to the virus.

People with certain long term health conditions, such as diabetes, weakened immune systems or respiratory, cardiac, renal or liver disease are considered at higher risk of developing complications from flu. Over 65s, pregnant women and under 10s are also included in the NHS flu vaccination programme.

But during 2017/18, vaccination uptake rates in Staffordshire were lower than national figures for both over 65s and the “at risk” population, a report to the Staffordshire Health and Wellbeing Board said.

The report added: “Historically uptake of vaccinations by front line staff has also been low, which can undermine the resilience of services being delivered to vulnerable people.

“A 2010 report by the Co-op pharmacy estimated that flu costs the UK economy £1.35 million per year. Much of this cost is due to sickness absence which can also undermine provision of services and how resilient health and social care systems are due to lack of staff.

“Conversely, the International Longevity Centre UK has estimated that £28.9 million is saved by staff having vaccinations which save costs from sick days.”

The board, which met at Staffordshire County Council’s Stafford headquarters on Thursday, has been urged to support this year’s seasonal flu campaign and promote it across all organisations represented on it, including the county council, district councils and fire, police and health services.

Emma Sandbach, interim consultant in public health, said: “We’re still lower (on flu vaccination uptake) in Staffordshire compared to the national average.

“Certain groups are more at risk. If we can ensure most of those people are covered that provides better coverage across the whole population and there are less likely to be complications.”

She also spoke of the importance of front line staff, such as those providing care services, taking up the vaccination.

“If people are going off sick, potentially they will be off for quite some time and it means a lot of pressure on the whole system to cope with,” she added. “If enough people are off sick it really does cause problems.”

The meeting was told that this season’s flu vaccination was due to be available in the coming weeks.

Staffordshire County Council and the county’s Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGS) are working on a communications campaign to promote the national flu campaign and increase vaccination rates.

The report said: “Arrangements are being made by NHS providers to offer flu vaccination to their care staff.”