NHS trusts are failing to get doctors and nurses to have flu jabs despite fears of a flu epidemic spreading to Britain from France.
Figures have revealed that as few as one in three workers have been vaccinated at some hospitals.
This is despite Professor Sir Bruce Keogh, the NHS’ medical director, last year warning that healthcare professionals had a ‘duty’ to get the flu jab to protect their patients and colleagues.
It also comes as the NHS braces itself for a flu epidemic following a surge in cases at hospitals and GP surgeries.
Figures have revealed that as few as one in three workers have been vaccinated at some hospitals (stock image)
Experts say around one quarter of NHS staff will contract flu during a typical season.
Of those, about half will avoid major symptoms, meaning they are likely to remain in work, spreading infections.
In a typical flu season, NHS staff take around 4.3 million sick days, the Sunday Telegraph reported.
The figure could be reduced by more than one quarter if all trusts matched the vaccination rates of the best, the figures suggest.
Official figures from Public Health England (PHE) found 58 trusts where less than half of staff had been vaccinated by the end of November.
Among hospital trusts, the lowest figure of 33.4 per cent was at Kings College NHS foundation trust in London.
Across the whole of the NHS, the average uptake rate was less than 60 per cent.
Dr Richard Pebody, Acting Head of Respiratory Disease, PHE, told the newspaper: ‘It’s vital that healthcare workers take up the offer of the vaccine to protect themselves and also vulnerable patients and to help ease pressures on the health service this winter.’
The NHS offers free flu jabs to the over-65s, pregnant women, children aged two to eight and those with long-term health conditions such as asthma and diabetes.
Some 1,649 people were struck down with flu last week in England and Wales as temperatures plummeted over the week of Christmas
NHS England, which runs the health service, is worried about rising flu rates, which are currently twice as high as this time last year.
They are closely monitoring the situation in France, where the virus has reached epidemic levels, led to 11,500 hospital admissions and claimed more than 30 lives.
Many patients there are succumbing to the same flu strain, H3N2, which was responsible for the worst flu outbreak in Australia for a decade.
Hospitals in England are already under severe pressure following a surge in A&E admissions just after Christmas which has led to the worst winter crisis in years.
Figures from Public Health England on Thursday showed the rate of hospital admissions for flu had trebled compared to the previous week.
UFC STAR CONOR MCGREGOR IS STRUCK DOWN BY ‘AUSSIE FLU’
UFC fighter Conor McGregor has been struck down by deadly ‘Aussie flu’
UFC fighter Conor McGregor has been struck down by deadly ‘Aussie flu’, which could be the worst bout Britain has seen in 50 years.
He shared a candid Instagram snap of him relaxing in bed with his baby boy Conor Jr, revealing he and ‘half his family’ had contracted the virus.
The 29-year-old millionaire sportsman wrote on the social media site: ‘Well that was a wild New Year’s Eve.
‘Half the family hit with the Australian flu virus and some even left in hospital with it. I’ve never even been to Australia wtf.'[sic]’
The MMA fighter and boxer said that he had been left shaken by the illness, which has affected people across Ireland over the festive period.
He said: ‘Big New Year’s Eve party cancelled at the last minute and I am left shaking in bed the past two days.
‘I’ll leave that with the rest of the bad behind me in 2017 and take with me the many great experiences I’ve had this year!
‘None greater than the birth of my son Conor Jr and the continued support of my family, my friends and my dedicated staff through thick and thin.’
Health officials have urged the public to follow basic hygiene principles such as washing their hands and disinfecting stair railings and doors.
Paul Cosford, medical director at Public Health England said: ‘People suffering with flu-like symptoms should catch coughs or sneezes in tissues and bin them immediately, wash their hands regularly with soap and warm water and frequently clean regularly used surfaces to stop the spread of flu.
‘Avoid having unnecessary contact with other people if you or they have symptoms of flu.’
He urged patients to get the flu vaccine if they hadn’t already, either on the NHS or privately.
Separate figures from NHS England showed that 16,900 individuals last week were forced to wait in ambulances outside hospitals for 30 minutes or more,
This was up by 21 per cent on the previous week and included 4,700 patients who waited for more than an hour.
The NHS 111 helpline fielded 480,000 calls, the highest since it was created in 2013.
Responding to the figures, Niall Dickson, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, which represents NHS managers said: ‘The pressures are becoming intolerable.’