Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps he has taken to reduce influenza infections in the NHS.

The Flu Plan: Winter 2014/15, and the Annual Flu letter highlights the importance of vaccinating health and social care workers with direct patient contact. Frontline health and social care workers have a duty of care to protect their patients from infection. This includes getting vaccinated against flu. A copy of both documents are attached.

In September 2014, a letter was sent to the National Health Service and local authorities from the Department of Health, Public Health England and NHS England to seek their support in increasing flu vaccination uptake among front line health and social care workers. On 15 January 2015, the Chief Medical Officer wrote to NHS Medical Directors urging them to continue to vaccinate health care workers and requesting that they consider requiring unvaccinated staff to wear face masks when undertaking direct clinical work with patients to prevent the risk of influenza infection.

The flu fighter campaign, run by NHS Employers provides support to NHS trusts to encourage staff to protect themselves, their patients and their families by having the seasonal flu vaccination. NHS Employers provides advice and guidance on running local healthcare worker vaccination campaigns, as well as posters and other campaign resources.