Influenza Vaccinations free for social care workers. Have you had yours?

It’s the time of year for our influenza vaccinations and, as Director of Operations, I am right there in line to get mine done and know that I will have the vaccination to protect me from flu this year. Once again I booked my appointment at Boots and it was great to have the same person giving me my vaccination as last year.

We went through the health check first and then I signed the consent form. The flu vaccination is a great way to have peace of mind that I will be as protected as possible from the strain which can be so debilitating to myself but would also have such a big impact on those around me.

The vaccination is quick and easy and I didn’t feel a thing.

As part of our ongoing Health, Safety and Welfare monitoring for Apple House Ltd we remind and recommend that all of our employees take up the opportunity to have the influenza vaccination.

Every year we, as a company take on board the latest guidance to be issued from NHS England and encourage all people working for Apple House Ltd to be vaccinated. We have historically always paid for this for our teams as we know how important it is to remain healthy for ourselves, colleagues and for the people we support.

This year NHS England have confirmed that free flu vaccinations are available in 2018/19 for social care workers who offer direct care to people using services.

This is open to all health and social care staff, employed by a registered residential care/nursing home or registered domiciliary care provider, who are directly involved in the care of vulnerable patients/clients who are at increased risk from exposure to influenza. Vulnerable means those patients/clients in a clinical risk group for flu or who are aged 65 years and over.

NHS England have confirmed that this includes staff directly involved in the care of vulnerable people who are at increased risk from exposure to influenza who are working for registered:

• residential care homes;
• residential nursing homes;
• domiciliary care services;
• Shared Lives schemes;
• extra care housing services;
• supported living services.

Let’s all stay well this year and banish those bugs.

You can get more information from the NHS website HERE

— Romaine Lawson, Director of Operations, Apple House care homes.