MORE staff were vaccinated against flu at the organisation running Worcestershire’s three major hospitals this winter than at any other NHS trust in the region.

More than 3,000 people working at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust – nearly 64 per cent of those involved in direct patient care – took up the vaccine, a four per cent increase from last year. This is more than anywhere else in the Worcestershire, Herefordshire and Arden region.

This included 414 doctors and 928 qualified nurses as well as 1,379 members of other support teams.

Every year the trust, which runs Worcestershire Royal Hospital, Kidderminster Hospital and Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital, runs a campaign encouraging staff to get vaccinated and working to dispel myths about the vaccine.

This year the organisation’s occupational health team set up special flu hubs allowing staff to get vaccinated at a time and place convenient to them.

Specialist nurse practitioner in occupational health at the trust Cath Allen said she was pleased by how many staff had taken up the vaccine.

“It’s such a positive way for us as healthcare workers to protect ourselves, our families and our patients from this seasonal illness,” she said.

“We’re hoping to continue this trend and encourage even more staff this winter.

“Just two years ago only 35 per cent of our staff were vaccinated, so we can see our efforts are really making a difference.”