Hi all,

 

Excellent thread.

 

 

I think the important question to answer is simply whether flu vaccination of healthcare workers is important, nice to have but not important or not necessary?

 

Scientific minds at WHO, DH, HPA, CDC and so on consistently agree that vaccination of HCW is an important method of protecting patients with the organisational benefit of improved operational resilience during the flu season.  We know that the status quo is ineffective with take up rates of vaccine in HCW at 10-40% nationally and even during the pandemic the average uptake of specific H1N1 vaccine was only 40%.  Improved marketing/ advertising may only make a marginal increase in uptake and so mandatory or opt-out vaccination should be seriously considered.

 

Some interesting reading is below:

 

Helms C. and Polgreen P. (2008) Should influenza immunisation be mandatory for healthcare workers? Yes BMJ 2008, 337: a2142

 

-          They make strong arguments for vaccination because it reduces mortality rates in long-stay patients, decreases nosocomial infection, is cost-saving by reduced absenteeism and increased productivity

 

 

Burls A, Jordan R, Barton P, Olowokure B, Wake B, Albon E, et al. (2005) Vaccinating healthcare workers against influenza to protect the vulnerable—is it a good use of healthcare resources? A systematic review of the evidence and an economic evaluation. Vaccine 2006;24:4212-21

 

-          Burls et al demonstrate the UK economic case for effective HCW vaccination programmes

 

 

Battin M., Francis L. P., Jacobson J. A and Smith C. B. (2009) The Patient as Victim and Vector: Ethics and Infectious Disease.  Oxford. Oxford University Press

 

-          Battin et al (2009 p135) argue strongly that healthcare workers who do not treat their own risks of catching from or transmitting infection to patients are not delivering good quality care to patients. At an extreme they argue that HCWs who transmit infection should be treated the same as those who are not up to date with technical skills or are drug or alcohol impaired.

 

Happy reading.

 

I’ll keep you all posted with the outcome of our internal discussions.

 

Best wishes

 

Paul

 

 

Paul D'Arcy
Clinical Nurse Leader
Imperial Health a+ Work
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
2nd Floor
Hammersmith House
Hammersmith Hospital
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London
W12 0HS
P: 020 3313 1543
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W: www.imperial.nhs.uk

 

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