13th September 2018

Extension of NHS seasonal influenza vaccination to care workers

To receive their seasonal flu vaccination care staff will need to go to their own GP practice or any pharmacy with proof of employment.

Read the full letter from NHS England

Arrangements have been put in place for the 2018/19 influenza vaccination scheme for eligible health and social care and hospice staff to be offered by GP practices and community pharmacy as part of the seasonal flu programme.

This scheme is intended to complement, not replace, any established occupational health schemes that employers have in place to offer the flu vaccination to their workforce. We would urge employers to continue their efforts to protect their staff and most vulnerable patients/clients by encouraging frontline social care staff to be immunised. They can do this by accessing local schemes that are already in place or, if they are eligible as they are in one of the at-risk groups or other groups identified in the annual flu letter, by going to their own GP practice or any pharmacy.

The extension to the seasonal influenza vaccine will be available to:

• Health and social care staff, employed by a registered residential care/nursing home or registered domiciliary care provider, who are directly involved in the care of vulnerable patients/clients who are at increased risk from exposure to influenza. Vulnerable means those patients/clients in a clinical risk group for flu or who are aged 65 years and over.
• Health and care staff, employed by a voluntary managed hospice provider, who are directly involved in the care of vulnerable patients/clients who are at increased risk from exposure to influenza. Vulnerable means those patients/clients in a clinical risk group for flu or who are aged 65 years and over.