John Baron MP backs flu jab drive

MP says at risk patients should contact their GP

John Baron MP has urged those in Basildon and Billericay who are at risk of developing serious health problems if they catch flu to get their free NHS vaccination before the cold weather bites.

The MP’s call comes as it emerged that 199,044 people missed out on protection last year across Essex, many of whom will have caught the virus and needed NHS treatment as a result.

While flu is a common ailment and many people can get over it with rest and fluids, for some people in high-risk groups, such as the elderly and those with long-term conditions, it can lead to serious and potentially life-threatening complications such as pneumonia or bronchitis.

John said:

“Catching the flu is miserable for any of us, but if you’re older or have existing health problems, it can lead to a serious health risk. So if you, a relative or your children are eligible for a free NHS flu vaccination, making sure you or they take it up this winter is really important.”

NHS England’s National Medical Director for Acute Care, Professor Keith Willett, said:

“Last winter we saw the impact that a bad flu strain can have on patients, and therefore on NHS services. NHS staff are once again doing everything possible to prepare for winter, but our message to the public is this: help us, help you by making sure you get your free NHS flu vaccination.”

Notes to Editors

Last year seasonal flu put a significant strain on all parts of the NHS, with the proportion of peak-period GP appointments and 111 calls related to flu around double the previous year, and more than 1 in 8 of all A&E consultations being for acute respiratory infections.

Official figures published last month showed that more than 2.6million bed days were lost to flu and pneumonia last year in English hospitals, up more than 20% – or almost 460,000 bed days – over five years, the equivalent of two large hospitals.

In the Essex area last year:

• 90,935 older people missed out on their jab, despite many being most vulnerable to flu’s effects.
• A further 86,663, or 52.3% of under-65s in at risk groups, including pregnant women and people with long term conditions, also went without protection.
• And 61.6% of 2-4 year olds didn’t receive the child-friendly nasal spray vaccination.

This year, more people than ever – around 22 million – will be offered the vaccination. This will once again include social care workers, who were offered free vaccinations for the first time last year, as well as hospice staff for the first time.

Front line NHS staff are routinely offered vaccination to reduce sickness absence over the busy winter period and the chances of their unknowingly passing on the flu to vulnerable patients.

Those aged 65 and over will also be given the newly-licensed adjuvanted trivalent vaccine this year, which is designed to boost the body’s immune response, improving the effectiveness of the vaccine in the older age group.

Health chiefs believe that the new vaccine could reduce GP consultations due to flu by 30,000, hospitalisations by over 2000 and prevent over 700 hospital deaths in England, alleviating some of the health burden that seasonal flu places on the population, workplaces and the NHS.

More information on eligibility for the flu jab, and other tips on staying well this winter, can be found at www.nhs.uk/staywell

There are sufficient vaccine stocks to meet anticipated demand for all eligible groups; the first waves have been delivered to GPs and pharmacists, with more arriving over the coming weeks ahead of the flu season. If your local GP or pharmacist does not have stock the day you go in for vaccination, they will talk you through nearby and convenient alternative providers, or be able to give you a date to return to get your jab there.