Staff in hospitals serving Mid Sussex leading the way in annual fight against flu

Trust chief executive Marianne Griffiths and chairman Alan McCarthy have had their jabs, and are asking all 8,900 colleagues from the Royal Sussex County Hospital, Royal Alexander Children’s Hospital and Princess Royal to follow their lead and be vaccinated.

Marianne said: “For some people, flu can be very dangerous. Many of our patients are vulnerable and catching flu could be very serious for them, so it’s important we all make time to get the flu vaccination.

“By protecting our staff we help to prevent flu from spreading amongst our patients and we also reduce the risk of staff being off sick, so during the busy winter months we can provide the best level of care to our patients.”

The Trust is running a series of vaccination clinics at The County and Princess Royal which are open to all staff.

Flu – short for influenza – is an infectious and common viral illness. Symptoms include a sudden high temperature, headache and general aches and pains, tiredness and sort throat.

People in an ‘at risk’ group, who are eligible for the free vaccination, are encouraged to contact their GP surgery or community pharmacy if they would like to have the vaccination. This includes everyone aged over 65, pregnant women and adults and children who have specific health issues.

If you think you need the vaccine talk to your GP, practice nurse or look at your GP surgery’s website for details.

For more information about flu and the vaccine go to: www.nhs.uk/flu.

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