As you know we are now well into the ‘Flu’ season and as CCG Chairs we want to thank you for your continued efforts to vaccinate your at risk patients against Flu.
There is still a large cohort of patients across BHR that remains unvaccinated and we need your continued support and work to vaccinate these patients. The 2017/18 winter period saw the most severe flu outbreak since 2010/11. NHS Improvement have estimated that up to 4,000 beds each day could have been used by flu patients, and that at the peak of the season up to 500 patients were admitted with flu per week - significantly more than in previous winter flu seasons.
Flu vaccination is particularly important for patients in at risk groups, those with long term conditions, people aged over 65, young children and pregnant women. It impacts on those who become ill, our NHS services that provide direct care, and on the wider health and social care system that supports people in at-risk groups.
Preventing flu infection through vaccination also helps prevent secondary bacterial infections such as pneumonia. This can help reduce the need for antibiotics and contribute towards preventing antibiotic resistance.
We are all concerned that flu vaccine uptake across London is significantly lower than last season and we are already reporting weekly to NHS England to assure them that General Practice is continuing to make every effort to vaccinate patients. The main actions that NHSE are concerned about are as follows:-
Primary Care Improvement Leads from the CCG Primary Care Team will be contacting you as part of this assurance exercise to support you with the above measures.
Thank you all for your hard work in supporting the vaccination programme and the significant contribution this makes to reducing illness and death from flu.
740