There’s been a significant increase in the number of staff at Ennis General Hospital who have availed of the flu vacine this winter.
A new report, outlining statistics for 2019, found workers at the county hospital among the least likely to avail of the flu vaccine last year, but that’s now changed in the context of the COVID pandemic.
Of all hospital groups, the UL Hospital Group recorded the lowest take-up of the flu vaccine among its healthcare workers in the winter of 2019/20.
While 4931 doses of the vaccine were administered, that still represents only 38.7% of all workers.
In Ennis, 36.1% of staff took the vaccine, with only University Maternity Hospital Limerick and the Lourdes Orthopaedic Hospital in Kilkenny showing lower rates.
The national target for coverage of the vaccine was 40%, and while the figure for Ennis fell short of this, that’s now changed this winter.
In an up-to-date release of figures to Clare FM, the UL Hospitals Group say the number of workers choosing to take the jab this year has increased by 54%.
Take-up rates across the group now stand at 60%, and at 59% in Ennis.
A Flu Steering Committee was established last summer, while a spokesperson has also praised nurses and midwives who trained as peer vaccinators.
Statement from UL Hospitals Group
Staff put a considerable effort across our sites each year to maximising the flu vaccination. The number of staff choosing to take the vaccine has increased at UL Hospitals Group and across the country this year in the context of the pandemic.
To facilitate this, a Flu Steering Committee was established in June 2020 with representation from hospital site management across all hospitals in the group and chaired by the group Head of Strategy, with a dedicated Project Manager to oversee the campaign.
Flu vaccination for acute healthcare staff was even more important during this COVID-19 pandemic to prevent against the double surge of a possible influenza outbreak and associated staff absenteeism with COVID-19 outbreaks. The entire delivery of vaccine was changed this year to an online pre-booking system to ensure staff safety and comply with social distancing at clinics. A national IT solution was used to manage a paperless vaccination process which commenced with the first staff vaccination on 4th October 2020.
We are indebted to the services of nurses and midwives who, as they do every year, volunteered to train as peer vaccinators and provide this vital vaccine to their colleagues on all hospital sites. Furthermore, the Mid-West HSE Occupational Health Service supported flu vaccine clinics throughout the month of October. As an incentive to staff, We have partnered with UNICEF to donate 10 measles vaccines to children in the developing world for each staff flu vaccine recorded.
Last year across the group, 1909 flu vaccines were administered to all staff grades and disciplines. This year (2020/21 campaign) that number has increased to 2951 – a year on year increase of 54%. This is a fantastic achievement for our staff and brings us broadly in line with the current provisional figures from other hospital groups. The overall group uptake rate for all staff now stands at 60% and Ennis Hospital in particular currently demonstrates a hospital uptake rate of 59%.
