‘Well-organised anti-vaxxers’ create challenge for Shropshire health chiefs in getting staff vaccinated
‘Well-organised’ anti-vaxxers, vaccine fatigue and an ‘apathy’ about disease risks have lead to a health trust falling short on flu vaccinations among its own staff, a meeting heard.
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Health staff working for the Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust (ShropCom) had a winter flu vaccine take-up rate of 51 per cent as of January 20, a meeting of the board was told this week.
This rate is the highest across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, and is among the top for NHS trusts regionally, the board was told. It includes people who have had their jabs through their own GP or pharmacist.
Jill Barker, an associate non-executive director and chair of Shropcom’s Quality and Safety Committee, told Thursday’s (February 6) meeting in Ludlow that they “need to do something transformational” to increase jab uptake.
“The anti-vax people have got themselves well-organised,” she told the board, adding that the trust need to get the message out in community groups and faith groups.
“The lowest uptake of the vaccine is among healthcare workers. There is apathy and resistance and there is a big piece of work for us to do.”
Patricia Davies, Shropcom’s chief executive, said that flu infections are four times higher than last year, with Covid and norovirus also circulating.
“Norovirus is hanging around,” she said. “There is a real pressure on the health system.”
The NHS in Shropshire and Telford has seen one “critical incident” where resources from across the region are piled into helping hospital accident and emergency departments.
Last year, there were 27 critical incidents declared across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin last year, the meeting was told.
But Ms Davies added that the impact of infections was reduced because people across the NHS and councils “worked together”.
Vaccine “apathy” is “something we need to major in for next year if we don’t want the same levels of infection,” she added.
She said a 51 per cent flu vaccination rate for staff is “not great”.
“There is some learning for us this year around how we can work with staff and the public for a more effective uptake,” she added.
Board papers presented to the meeting said they “continue to raise the issue of importance of vaccination to staff through staff briefings and line management support and continue to make the vaccination available and administration as flexible as possible for our teams.
Shropcom also supports the co-ordination and delivery of the Covid vaccine.
The board papers say that last winter across the UK more than 38,000 people were admitted to hospital with Covid.
“During the current campaign there has been an increased level of vaccine fatigue and resistance in relation to Covid-19 vaccinations which is a risk to achieving our overall target uptake of 60.8 per cent,” the board papers say.
“We continue to promote the benefits of taking up the offer.”
