In a circular from NHS England, the Department of Health and Public Health England, a new programme for vaccinating the at risk was unveiled, highlighting the virulent strain of flu in Australia and New Zealand and echoing messages of needing to prepare front line health and social care staff.
Commenting on NHS England’s decision to offer complimentary flu vaccinations to care home workers, Professor Martin Green OBE, chief executive of Care England, the largest representative body for independent providers of adult social care, says: “We applaud NHS England’s policy to offer free flu jabs to workers in care homes. Care England has long campaigned on this issue.
"In the past, the independent sector has been overlooked and providers have had to foot the bill themselves which in a climate of severe financial pressures has been difficult. Being ready for winter and offering extra capacity to the already stretched NHS is yet another area where the independent sector can help."
Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, national medical director of NHS England, says: “This is a timely reminder to employers and staff that we all have a professional responsibility to protect ourselves, and by doing so better protect our patients and reducing the pressure on services.”
