Seasonal Influenza Vaccine Uptake amongst frontline healthcare workers in England 2010/11

Frontline healthcare workers (HCWs) involved in direct patient care are encouraged to receive annually the trivalent seasonal influenza vaccination to protect themselves and their patients from influenza.1 To assess the uptake of influenza vaccines for the 2010/11 winter season among HCWs, a seasonal influenza vaccine uptake survey of all 388 NHS trusts (acute, ambulance, mental health, primary care, care, and foundation trusts) in England was undertaken. Cumulative data were collected monthly from 1 September 2010 to 28 February 2011 via the Department of Health (DH) ImmForm website, which includes a reporting system for seasonal influenza vaccination. Data were collected by staff groupings (doctors, qualified nurses, other professionally qualified clinical staff, and clinical support staff) and by trust (and trust type) and strategic health authority (SHA). The Health Protection Agency (HPA) coordinated and managed the data collection on behalf of DH, and produced provisional data that allowed the NHS and DH to track the progress of the programme during the 2010/11 influenza season. This document describes and reports on the uptake of seasonal influenza vaccines amongst frontline HCWs during the 2010/11 vaccination programme in England with a focus on the results from the final February survey (cumulative vaccinations administered up to end 28 February 2011).